Dimensions
143 x 222 x 34mm
The English language is a battlefield. Since the age of Shakespeare, arguments over correct usage have been acrimonious, and those involved have always really been contesting values to do with morality, politics and class. THE LANGUAGE WARS examines the present state of the conflict, its history and its future. Above all, it uses the past as a way of illuminating the present. Moving chronologically, the book explores the most persistent issues to do with English and unpacks the history of proper usage. Where did these ideas spring from Which of today s bugbears and annoyances are actually venerable Who has been on the front line in the language wars
