Best Books

Designed to make grammar fun and intellectually exciting, this book doesn’t teach readers about grammar but how to do grammar —i.e., how to understand the structure and function — the rationale — of the English language by becoming actively involved with their own analysis and description of the language. Building on what readers already know intuitively about English, it is the first book to combine traditional and generative approaches in one practical synthesis — showing readers how to notice patterns in their language, how to describe those patterns in clear and principled ways, how to decide which of their descriptions are best, and how to represent their decisions in the form of rules and diagrams. It helps readers understand and resolve well-known usage problems — subject-verb agreement, “sexism” in language, dangling modifiers, and others — by description of their grammar and features humorous examples throughout — including quotations from authors such as Homer, Malcolm X, Jane Austen, Henry James, and Toni Morrison.

Comprehensive and balanced, this classic exploration of the history of the English language combines internal linguistic history and external cultural history—from the Middle Ages to the present. Emphasis is on the political, social and cultural forces that affect language. Reflects the latest trends and statistics of the last ten years in a revised and updated chapter 1, English Present and Future. Provides a new section on Gender Issues and Linguistic Change in Chapter 10. Includes a thorough revision of Chapter 11, The English Language in America, including updated material on African American Vernacular English. Discusses Black English and varieties of English in Africa and Asia, as well as varieties in the United States, Australia, and Canada. Includes a map of American dialects. Provides examples of twentieth-century vocabulary. For multilingual readers or anyone who wishes to develop a well-rounded understanding of present-day English.