That's the way it crumbles : the American conquest of English
Matthew Engel (Author)
In That's the Way It Crumbles, Matthew Engel presents a call to arms against the linguistic impoverishment that happens when one language dominates another. With dismay and wry amusement, he traces the American invasion of our language from the early days of the New World, via the influence of Edison, the dance hall and the talkies, right up to the Apple and Microsoft-dominated present day, and explores the fate of other languages trying to fend off linguistic takeover bids. It is not the Americans' fault, more the result of their talent for innovation and our own indifference. He explains how America's cultural supremacy affects British gestures, celebrations and way of life, and how every paragraph and conversation includes words the British no longer even think of as Americanisms. Part battle cry, part love song, part elegy, this book celebrates the strange, the banal, the precious and the endangered parts of our uncommon common language
1 online resource
9781782832621, 1782832629
989790918
Introduction: There'll be bluebirds
For shame, Mr. Jefferson!
Ahoy there!
You ain't heard nothin' yet
One, two, three o'clock, four o'clock rock
Stepping up to the plate
Let's wake up and have a cuppa instead
Nous sommes tous Américains, innit
From abrasive to zing
What is to be done?
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