Spellbound : The Surprising Origins and Astonishing Secrets of English Spelling
by James Essinger
- Used
- Good
- Paperback
- Condition
- Good
- ISBN 10
- 0385340842
- ISBN 13
- 9780385340847
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, United States
2 Copies Available from This Seller
(You can add more at checkout.)
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Random House Publishing Group, 2007. Paperback. Good. Disclaimer:A copy that has been read, but remains in clean condition. All pages are intact, and the cover is intact. The spine may show signs of wear. Pages can include limited notes and highlighting, and the copy can include previous owner inscriptions. At ThriftBooks, our motto is: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed.
Synopsis
Welcome to the illogical, idiosyncratic, outrageous linguistic phenomenon known as the English language. The story of how this ragtag collection of words evolved is a winding tale replete with intriguing accidents and bizarre twists of fate. In this eye-opening, fabulously entertaining book, James Essinger unlocks the mysteries that have confounded linguists and scholars for millennia.From the sophisticated writing systems of the ancient Sumerians through the tongue twisters of Middle English, the popular National Spelling Bee, and the mobile phone text-messaging of today, Spellbound chronicles the fascinating history of English spelling, including insights about the vast number of words English has borrowed from other languages ("orange," "vanilla," and "ketchup," to name a few), and how their meanings differ from country to country. Featuring a lively cast of characters ranging from the fictional to the historically noteworthy (Chaucer, Samuel Johnson, Noah Webster, Shakespeare, Bill Gates), this affectionate tribute to English spelling shows why our whimsical, capricious common language continues to hold us spellbound.From the Trade Paperback edition.
Reviews
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- ThriftBooks
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- G0385340842I3N00
- Title
- Spellbound : The Surprising Origins and Astonishing Secrets of English Spelling
- Author
- James Essinger
- Format/Binding
- Paperback
- Book Condition
- Used - Good
- Quantity Available
- 2
- ISBN 10
- 0385340842
- ISBN 13
- 9780385340847
- Publisher
- Random House Publishing Group
- Date Published
- 2007
Terms of Sale
ThriftBooks
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
ThriftBooks
Biblio member since 2018
Seattle, Washington
About ThriftBooks
From the largest selection of used titles, we put quality, affordable books into the hands of readers
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
This Book’s Categories
Collecting Books on NYC
This gallery is dedicated to some of the best fiction and nonfiction portraying one of the greatest cities in the world. We Heart NYC! Enjoy browsing these books on New York City.
