David Crystal

Rarely has a book so packed with accurate and well researched factual information been so widely read and popularly acclaimed. This Second Edition of The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language has been fully revised for a new generation of language-lovers. The book is longer and includes extensive new material on world English and Internet English, in addition to completely updated statistics, further reading suggestions and other references.First Edition Hb (1995): 0-521-40179-8First Edition Pb (1997): 0-521-59655-6David Crystal is a leading authority on language, and author of many books, including most recently Shakespeare's Words (Penguin, 2002), Language and the Internet (Cambridge, 2001) and Language Death (Cambridge, 2000). An internationally renowned writer, journal editor, lecturer and broadcaster, he received an Order of the British Empire in 1995 for his services to the English language.

Have you been flamed recently? Or pinged? Or felt 404? Do you know the difference between a MUD and a MOO? Or between a WAP and a WISP? Can you translate 8-o ? Or cu4T? Do you know what your country's domain name is? This exciting glossary provides all the answers. It includes an A to Z of the jargon entering the English language with the rise of the Internet and mobile phone technology, and it gives a dictionary-style treatment of those Internet terms which have begun to change their meaning in colloquial speech. Alongside a definition, each of these entries contains a set of illustrations showing contemporary usage, helping you to understand and - if you wish - actively participate in the cool communication of the electronic age. A Glossary of Netspeak and Textspeak also contains a comprehensive guide to the special languages that have developed within electronic media - smileys and text messaging - and a complete listing of Internet domain names. Features: * The first glossary of Internet and mobile phone terminology * Includes numerous examples of real usage * Written by a leading expert on language and linguistics * Contains comprehensive lists of special symbols.This book is a must-have for anyone wanting to keep pace with the revolutionary trends in English usage going on around them :-)

We are living through the consequences of a linguistic revolution. Dramatic linguistic change has left us at the beginning of a new era in the evolution of human language, with repercussions for many individual languages. In this book, David Crystal, one of the world's authorities on language, brings together for the first time the three major trends which he argues have fundamentally altered the world's linguistic ecology: first, the emergence of English as the world's first truly global language; second, the crisis facing huge numbers of languages which are currently endangered or dying; and, third, the radical effect on language of the arrival of Internet technology. Examining the interrelationships between these topics, Crystal encounters a vision of a linguistic future which is radically different from what has existed in the past, and which will make us revise many cherished concepts relating to the way we think about and work with languages. Everyone is affected by this linguistic revolution.

The rapid endangerment and death of many minority languages across the world is a matter of widespread concern, not only among linguists and anthropologists but among all concerned with issues of cultural identity in an increasingly globalized culture. By some counts, only 600 of the 6,000 or so languages in the world are 'safe' from the threat of extinction. A leading commentator and popular writer on language issues, David Crystal asks the fundamental question, 'Why is language death so important?', reviews the reasons for the current crisis, and investigates what is being done to reduce its impact. The book contains not only intelligent argument, but moving descriptions of the decline and demise of particular languages, and practical advice for anyone interested in pursuing the subject further.

The one reference that every family and office needs, The Penguin Encylcopedia contains more than 28,000 entries on the facts, events, issues, people, beliefs, and achievements that make up the sum of human knowledge and experience. Written in a clear, direct style by an international team of more than 350 experts, this indispensable reference illuminates even the most intricate concepts, from current affairs to history, science to philosophy, sports to music. Timely entries include SARS, Ozzie Osbourne and John Kerry, Hans Blix, the Iraq War and weapons of mass destruction. With a clear and easy-to-use design, The Penguin Encyclopedia assures that everything you need to know is right at your fingertips.

Rarely has a book so packed with accurate and well researched factual information been so widely read and popularly acclaimed. This Second Edition of The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language has been fully revised for a new generation of language-lovers. The book is longer and includes extensive new material on world English and Internet English, in addition to completely updated statistics, further reading suggestions and other references. First Edition Hb (1995): 0-521-40179-8 First Edition Pb (1997): 0-521-59655-6 David Crystal is a leading authority on language, and author of many books, including most recently Shakespeare's Words (Penguin, 2002), Language and the Internet (Cambridge, 2001) and Language Death (Cambridge, 2000). An internationally renowned writer, journal editor, lecturer and broadcaster, he received an Order of the British Empire in 1995 for his services to the English language.

This classic book includes material on the vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation of New Englishes, footnotes and full bibliography.

Offers an eye-opening tour of the English language through the ages. In this history of the world's ubiquitous language, this title draws on words that illustrate the huge variety of sources, influences and events that have helped to shape our vernacular since the first definitively English word was written down in the fifth century.

Now in its third edition, Penguin Encyclopedia: is the one reference book that every family and office needs. It contains over 28,000 entries on the facts, events, issues, people, beliefs and achievements that make up the sum of human knowledge and experience written in a clear, direct style that illuminates even the most intricate concept. The book is designed so that it is easy to locate the information you require quickly and there are over 350 maps and diagrams to aid understanding. Penguin Encyclopedia is part of the Penguin Reference Library and draws on over 70 years of experience in bringing reliable, useful and clear information to millions of readers around the world making knowledge everybody's property.

In this fascinating survey of everything from how sounds become speech to how names work, David Crystal answers every question you might ever have had about the nuts and bolts of language in his usual highly illuminating way. Along the way we find out about eyebrow flashes, whistling languages, how parents teach their children to speak, how politeness travels across languages and how the way we talk show not just how old we are but where we're from and even who we want to be.