Journeys in English

by Bill Bryson

Bill Bryson presents a fascinating exploration of the history of the English language.

This highly entertaining BBC Radio 4 series is written and presented by Bill Bryson and based on his best-selling book Mother Tongue. In it, he romps through the history of Britain to reveal how English became such an infuriatingly complex - but ultimately world-beating - language.
But why English? Why don't we speak Gallic, or any other of the European languages? 

According to Bryson, it's down to the remarkable ability for the English language to assimilate other vocabularies, to adapt and - above all - to survive.

From the old English words that are still in everyday use, such as 'eat', 'drink', 'man' and 'wife', to the current hybrid language of the 21st century with its many diverse dialects, Bryson, in his unique and ever-affable style, guides us through the development of English into a rich and expressive language.

Bryson explains how English has been shaped through invasion and conquest, as well as the rules that brought order to a disorderly language, the million and one ways to have fun with the English language, and the struggle with phrasal verbs (including the way things often get lost in the translation). And finally, he contemplates the future of English. Does Estuary English really Rule OK?

• ISBN13: 9781408406274
• Publish Date: 18 March 2008
• Publish Status: Unknown
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: BBC Radio
• Format: Audiobook
• Duration: 2 hours and 47 minutes
• Language: English

Reviews

[MurderByDeath]

When I purchased this on Audible I was under the impression that is was a radio show, so I was thrown a little when the first few segments made it obvious that it was the audio from a TV program.  It wasn't debilitating; 90% of the program was just fine to listen to; it was just that 10% when it was clear you were supposed to be seeing what he saw.

I did enjoy it though; it was a nice encapsulation of Bill Bryson's Mother Tongue and listening to this so soon after finished the book solidified a few things in my head that might have otherwise just wisped right out.  And yes, I just made up the word 'wisped' - my contribution to the evolution of the language.  :D