A Little Book of Language
Published on 8. April 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
272 pages
978-0-300-28323-5 (ISBN)
Description
A lively journey through the story of language, from an infant's first word to the languages of the internet
Language never leaves you alone. It's there in your head, helping you think. It's there to help you make relationships - and to break them. It's there to remind you who you are and where you come from.
From the first words of an infant to texting and emojis, languages are full of mysteries and quirks. In this entertaining book, renowned author David Crystal sheds light on the development of unique linguistic styles, the origins of obscure accents, and the search for the first written word.
Little Histories - Inspiring Guides for Curious Minds
Language never leaves you alone. It's there in your head, helping you think. It's there to help you make relationships - and to break them. It's there to remind you who you are and where you come from.
From the first words of an infant to texting and emojis, languages are full of mysteries and quirks. In this entertaining book, renowned author David Crystal sheds light on the development of unique linguistic styles, the origins of obscure accents, and the search for the first written word.
Little Histories - Inspiring Guides for Curious Minds
Reviews / Votes
"Demotic, lively, rigorous but unabashedly unpedantic David Crystal remind[s] us that living languages know no boundaries, that they adapt themselves joyously to new conditions. Here he indulges himself with great good humour in his little book of love for the pleasures of language and words worldwide."-Iain Finlayson, The Times"David Crystal . . . is a charming tour guide. . . . He is excited, not cranky, about how language is changing in the Internet age."-Jan Gardner, The Boston Globe
"A Little Book of Language may be for children (of all ages, as the saying goes), yet it's by no means childish or juvenile. In other words, buy it for your son or daughter, but read it yourself."-Michael Dirda, Washington Post
"Crystal here writes for the true beginner, but does so with his usual clarity and authority, as he ranges from ancient etymologies to modern text-messaging. The chapters-again 40 of them-are made doubly engaging by Jean-Manuel Duvivier's frolicsome, highly stylized black-and-white illustrations."-Michael Dirda, Washington Post
"In his light and amusing A Little Book of Language, David Crystal treats the world's 6,000 tongues-which are disappearing at an alarming rate-as a natural resource no less precious than our oceans and forests."-The Daily Beast
"David Crystal, a well-known linguist, knows about 100,000 words, which is certainly impressive, but he then reminds us that's only about a 10th of the words in the English language. There's a good chapter on spelling, a skill that seems to bear surprisingly little relation to intelligence, as well as on the inadequacies of the computer spellchecker, a blind guide indeed. To sample his own feelings for words, see his bit on the word aftermath."-The Sunday Telegraph
". . . an enlightening and entertaining celebration of language and linguistics."-PD Smith, The Guardian
"[An] exhilarating romp through the mysteries and vagaries of language. . . . This is the perfect primer for anyone interested in the subject."-Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"A Little Book of Language is a simple history of all language, taking in phonetics, development, social uses, the internet, endangered languages and a touch of literature."-Joy Lo Dico, The Independent On Sunday
"David Crystal's latest book takes us on an exploration of that cornerstone of humanity-communication. A master of language in all guises, he brings a freshness and exuberance to every nook and cranny-from baby talk and slang, to lost languages and the very modern medium of text messages. . . . One word of warning: 'dip' into A Little Book of Language only if you can resist the urge to finish it in a single setting-it's fascinating stuff . . ."-Claire Vaughan, BBC Who Do You Think You Are Magazine
"In this wonderful little book David Crystal, an expert on the subject, explores the way language is used-or misused."-Keith Richmond, Tribune
"Crystal gets the tone just right. . . . An excellent present for a child who always has their nose in a book, it will encourage them to step back and reflect on language in exciting new, and perhaps life-changing ways."-The Good Book Guide
"David Crystal is not just a great linguist, but a true champion and lover of language."-Benjamin Zephaniah
"An excellent book to put in the hands of anyone first starting to think about the wonders of what we all take for granted, our shared capacity to talk and understand."-Nicholas Ostler, Empires of the Word
"Crystal-clear, witty and informative, a book to bring out the linguist in us all."-Roger McGough
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Illustrations
40 b-w illus.
Dimensions
Height: 196 mm
Width: 127 mm
Thickness: 22 mm
Weight
308 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-300-28323-5 (9780300283235)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Previous edition
David Crystal
A Little Book of Language
Book
04/2011
Yale University Press
€13.61
Article exhausted; check for reprint
Person
David Crystal is one of the world's preeminent language specialists. Writer, editor, lecturer, and broadcaster, he is Honorary Professor of Linguistics at the University of Wales, Bangor. He has written nearly 100 books and has published widely on phonetics, Shakespeare's language, and child language. In 1995 he was awarded the OBE for services to the English language.