Every Word Is a Bird We Teach to Sing: Encounters with the Mysteries and Meanings of Language
Daniel Tammet - 2017
He chats with chatbots; contrives an "e"-less essay on lipograms; studies the grammar of the telephone; contemplates the significance of disappearing dialects; and corresponds with native Esperanto speakers - in their mother tongue.Every Word Is a Bird We Teach to Sing explores the way communication shapes reality.
The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature
Steven Pinker - 2007
His previous books, including the Pulitzer Prize finalist The Blank Slate, have catapulted him into the limelight as one of today's most important and popular science writers. Now, in The Stuff of Thought, Pinker marries two of the subjects he knows best: language and human nature. The result is a fascinating look at how our words explain our nature. What does swearing reveal about our emotions? Why does innuendo disclose something about relationships? Pinker reveals how our use of prepositions and tenses taps into peculiarly human concepts of space and time, and how our nouns and verbs speak to our notions of matter. Even the names we give our babies have important things to say about our relations to our children and to society. With his signature wit and style, Pinker takes on scientific questions like whether language affects thought, as well as forays into everyday life: why is bulk e-mail called spam and how do romantic comedies get such mileage out of the ambiguities of dating? The Stuff of Thought is a brilliantly crafted and highly readable work that will appeal to fans of readers of everything from The Selfish Gene and Blink to Eats, Shoots & Leaves.
Spider Shepherd: SAS: Volume 1
Stephen Leather - 2014
The short stories are Hard Targets, Natural Selection, Narrow Escape, Warning Order, Hostile Territory and Rough Diamonds and feature Dan "Spider" Shepherd whose adventures have been Sunday Times bestsellers. Stephen Leather is one of the UK's most successful thriller writers. He was a journalist for more than ten years on newspapers such as The Times, the Daily Mail and the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong. He has sold more than a million eBooks and was named by Bookseller magazine as one of the most influential figures in British publishing. His bestsellers have been translated into more than ten languages. He has also written for television shows such as London's Burning, The Knock and the BBC's Murder in Mind series. Two of his books, The Stretch and The Bombmaker, were made into movies.
How To Become Fluent In Spanish: Not for Beginners, Not Quick and Easy, but Really Effective (Spanish Books Book 1)
John Del Gaudio - 2013
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.
Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries
Kory Stamper - 2017
While most of us might take dictionaries for granted, the process of writing them is in fact as lively and dynamic as language itself. With sharp wit and irreverence, Kory Stamper cracks open the complex, obsessive world of lexicography--from the agonizing decisions about what and how to define, to the knotty questions of usage in an ever-changing language. She explains why small words are the most difficult to define (have you ever tried to define is ?), how it can take nine months to define a single word, and how our biases about language and pronunciation can have tremendous social influence. Throughout, Stamper brings to life the hallowed halls (and highly idiosyncratic cubicles) of Merriam-Webster, a world inhabited by quirky, erudite individuals who quietly shape the way we communicate. A sure delight for all lovers of words, Word by Word might also quietly improve readers grasp and use of the English language."
P.S. from Paris
Marc Levy - 2015
They knew their friendship was going to be complicated, but love—and the City of Lights—just might find a way.On the big screen, Mia plays a woman in love. But in real life, she’s an actress in need of a break from her real-life philandering husband—the megastar who plays her romantic interest in the movies. So she heads across the English Channel to hide in Paris behind a new haircut, fake eyeglasses, and a waitressing job at her best friend’s restaurant.Paul is an American author hoping to recapture the fame of his first novel. When his best friend surreptitiously sets him up with Mia through a dating website, Paul and Mia’s relationship status is “complicated.”Even though everything about Paris seems to be nudging them together, the two lonely ex-pats resist, concocting increasingly far-fetched strategies to stay “just friends.” A feat easier said than done, as fate has other plans in store. Is true love waiting for them in a postscript?
The American Sign Language Alphabet: Letters A-Z, Numbers 0-9 (FingerAlphabet BASIC Reference Guide Book Series 12)
Lassal - 2015
It is designed for libraries, institutions and individuals who need or prefer the information in ebook format. All the hand signs were approved by American sign language experts. The signs are shown in large illustrations from two view points in order to facilitate understanding, as well as grouped together in a comprehensive chart. BONUS: The book contains a link to a set of unique printable ASL alphabet charts for your personal use.Lassal's work for Fingeralphabet.org has earned her a nomination for The German Prize for Civic Engagement 2013.
Practice Makes Perfect: Complete French Grammar
Annie Heminway - 2007
From present tense of regular verbs to direct object pronouns, this comprehensive guide and workbook covers all aspects of French grammar that you need to master. Focusing on the practical aspects of French as it's really spoken, each unit of Practice Makes Perfect: Complete French Grammar features clear explanations, numerous realistic examples, and dozens of engaging exercises. Practice Makes Perfect: Complete French Grammar makes mastering grammar easy with:
Clear, down-to-earth, easy-to-follow explanations that make even the most complex principles easy to understand
Example sentences that illustrate and clarify each grammatical point
Dozens of exercises in formats suited to every learning style
Practical and high-frequency vocabulary used throughout
A detailed answer key for quick, easy progress checks
With help from this book, you can effortlessly use: * Verbs ending in -oir * Infinitives * Relative pronouns * Gerunds * Pronominal verbs * Passé Composé * Expressions of time * Passive voice
Rolling with the Punchlines: A Memoir
Urzila Carlson - 2020
Urzila talks candidly about her childhood with a great family, apart from her abusive dad, and about growing up in South Africa. She shares crazy but true tales about her OE, her move to New Zealand, coming out, getting married and having children, and her life in comedy. This is a great listen from one of our most loved and most popular comedians.
Easy French Reader
R. de Roussy de Sales - 1984
Suitable for raw beginners to intermediate-level language learners, this popular title features engaging readings of progressive difficulty that allow you to rapidly build your comprehension. Find out what unfamiliar words and phrases mean with the book's helpful glossary Discover the nuances of French language and culture as well as the country's history through engaging texts Get a feel for authentic French society with readings from contemporary literature
Growing Up with Three Languages: Birth to Eleven
Xiao-lei Wang - 2008
It tells the story of two parents from different cultural, linguistic, and ethnic-racial backgrounds who joined to raise their two children with their heritage languages outside their native countries. It also tells the children's story and the way they negotiated three cultures and languages and developed a trilingual identity. It sheds light on how parental support contributed to the children's simultaneous acquisition of three languages in an environment where the main input of the two heritage languages came respectively from the father and from the mother. It addresses the challenges and the unique language developmental characteristics of the two children during their trilingual acquisition process.
Easy Italian Reader: A Three-Part Text for Beginning Students
Riccarda Saggese - 2005
This title provides a colorful history of Italy, from the founding of Rome onwards. It contains readings from contemporary literature. It includes exercises that challenge language comprehension and build reading skills.