These words are alive and well, however, in Forgotten English, a charming collection of hundreds of archaic words, their definitions, and old-fashioned line drawings.For readers of Bill Bryson, Henry Beard, and Richard Lederer, Forgotten English is an eye-opening trip down a delightful etymological path. Readers learn that an ale connor sat in a puddle of ale to judge its quality, that a beemaster informed bees of any important household events, and that our ancestors had a saint for hangover sufferers, St. Bibiana, a fact pertinent to the word bibulous. Each selection is accompanied by literary excerpts demonstrating the word's usage, from sources such as Shakespeare, Dickens, Chaucer, and Benjamin Franklin. Entertaining as well as educational, Forgotten English is a fascinating addition to word lovers' books.

    Senator S. I. Hayakawa discusses the role of language in human life, the many functions of language, and how language—sometimes without our knowing—shapes our thinking in this engaging and highly respected book. Provocative and erudite, it examines the relationship between language and racial and religious prejudice; the nature and dangers of advertising from a linguistic point of view; and, in an additional chapter called “The Empty Eye,” the content, form, and hidden message of television, from situation comedies to news coverage to political advertising.

    This title takes the mystery and menace out of learning Japanese by walking readers step-by-step through the fundamentals of the language.

    288) discussion of the strange but dinkum (p. 289) pedigree (p. 224) of the naughty (p. 202), nice (p. 212), and, sometimes, obscene (p. 217) English language. We live in a torrent of words — from radio and television, books and newspapers, and now from the internet. But, as Julian Burnside reminds us in this new edition of the bestselling Wordwatching, words are a source both of pleasure and power, and can be deployed for good or for ill. Some of these essays explore curiosities in odd corners of the language simply to remind us of the extraordinary richness of the English language. Other pieces use small matters of language to illustrate larger processes of cultural borrowing and change. Burnside’s musings remind us that we should not be alarmed at the instability of the language; rather, we should see its wanton borrowings as a source of its strength and vitality. Wordwatching also reminds us of the need to be aware of the misuse of language in the service of sinister purposes — whether political, ideological, social, or personal. An ear well-tuned to the nuances of vocabulary inoculates the hearer against this epidemic of deception. With nine new essays, dealing with subjects as diverse as deadlines, fancy words, the problems with "issue," odd sounds, oxymorons, and the fallacy of "wading in," this revised and expanded edition of Wordwatching is a fascinating demonstration of the power and the pleasure of the English language.

    Most parents never forget the moment. But that first word is soon followed by a second and a third, and by the age of three, children are typically learning ten new words every day and speaking in complete sentences. The process seems effortless, and for children, it is. But how exactly does it happen? How do children learn language? And why is it so much harder to do later in life? Drawing on cutting-edge developments in biology, neurology, psychology, and linguistics, Charles Yang's "The Infinite Gift" takes us inside the astonishingly complex but largely subconscious process by which children learn to talk and to understand the spoken word.Yang illuminates the rich mysteries of language: why French newborns already prefer the sound of French to English; why baby-talk, though often unintelligible, makes perfect linguistic sense; why babies born deaf still babble -- but with their hands; why the grammars of some languages may be evolutionarily stronger than others; and why one of the brain's earliest achievements may in fact be its most complex.Yang also puts forth an exciting new theory. Building on Noam Chomsky's notion of a universal grammar -- the idea that every human being is born with an intuitive grasp of grammar -- Yang argues that we learn our native languages in part by unlearning the grammars of all the rest.This means that the next time you hear a child make a grammatical mistake, it may not be a mistake at all; his or her grammar may be perfectly correct in Chinese or Navajo or ancient Greek. This is the brain's way of testing its options as it searches for the local and thus correct grammar -- and then discards all the wrong ones.And we humans, Yang shows, are not the only creatures who learn this way. In fact, learning by unlearning may be an ancient evolutionary mechanism that runs throughout the animal kingdom. Thus, babies learn to talk in much the same way that birds learn to sing.Enlivened by Yang's experiences with his own young son, "The Infinite Gift" is as charming as it is challenging, as thoughtful as it is thought-provoking. An absorbing read for parents, educators, and anyone who has ever wondered about the origins of that uniquely human gift: our ability to speak and, just as miraculous, to understand one another.

    The instruction and practice in the Complete Guide to the TOEFL iBT closely mirrors the actual test, helping students to master the skills necessary to achieve the best possible score on the TOEFL iBT test and prepare them for success in an academic setting.

    Robert Claiborne then continues with the Anglo-Saxon invaders of England whose language developed into Old English, which in turn slowly developed into Middle English after the Norman Invasion. He also gives an overview of the various dialects of English and slang.

    Instead of getting bogged down in idealized rules,Professor Durrell focuses on how Germans really speak. Included are clear and concise explanations, many examples from everyday life, and comprehensive cross-referencing and indexing.

    You need a system for learning Spanish that takes you from beginner to expert to fluent! If you want to become fluent in Spanish, this book is for you! In this best selling book on becoming fluent in Spanish, you will learn: The Complete Spanish Fluency Training Program Most people think you need a great Spanish teacher or Spanish immersion program to become fluent in Spanish. While both great teachers and immersion language training can definitely help improve your Spanish speaking skills, many students find that typical courses and short-term immersion experiences are not sufficient to become totally fluent. Sorry, but it's just not that easy to attain fluency. It takes dedication and hard work with the right Spanish learning techniques. How to Learn Spanish Faster In this book, the author recommends a Spanish training system that will allow you to learn the language faster and become fluent much more easily by training yourself how to learn the precise skills you need. Is it hard work? Yes, it is. But it's what it takes to become fluent in Spanish. This little guidebook will save you a ton of time and frustration on your journey to becoming a proficient and fluent Spanish speaker. If you think you can become fluent by simply studying a Spanish-English dictionary and taking a few classes, you're mistaken. Mastering Spanish grammar and the spoken language requires a deeper level of understanding and practice. This Spanish language learning system developed by John Del Gaudio was specifically designed to help you master the parts of the language learning process that hold most Spanish students back from speaking fluently. If you're looking for Spanish books on Kindle so you can become fluent, this one is for you! About The Author John Del Gaudio received his B.A. in Spanish from SUNY at Stony Brook, and spent his junior year at the University of Puerto Rico studying Spanish language and literature. He has traveled extensively in Latin America and resided in Mexico for four years and two in Colombia. He holds the Basic and Advanced Diplomas de Español como Lengua Extranjera. He is a practicing lawyer in Chicago, Illinois, and has been a translator of Spanish legal documents. Whether you're a beginner or seasoned Spanish speaker, this simple system will allow you to achieve fluency faster than ever before. If you want a little guidebook that will save you a ton of time and frustration on your journey to become fluent in Spanish, How to Become Fluent in Spanish is the book for you. If you're ready to learn Spanish like a pro, scroll up and click "buy now" to get started.

    The authors of Haley's Hints offer tips for cleaning around the home using common household products with multiples uses, presenting more than one thousand ingenious, economical solutions to help clean, unclutter, organize, and deodorize the home with such common products as toothpaste and vinegar.

    

    Popular recipes from India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Thailand, Mexico, South America and Africa are brought together in this cookbook to give readers the chance to make easy-to-prepare high-quality food that will cook while they are out at work.

    

    Celebrating the 125th anniversary of its original publication, this expanded and updated edition of a classic reference features a new, simplified organization.

    This step-by-step approach gives you real confidence and the tools you need to achieve a high Spanish proficiency.You'll get a quick review of the key grammar basics, then move on to more advanced topics that you need for true mastery of the language. With complete coverage of verb tenses beyond the present and past, irregular verbs, sentence structure, parts of speech, and more, this book gives a thorough overview of advanced grammar topics. It also introduces you to hundreds of new vocabulary words that are reinforced with readings that put the new terms in everyday context.