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Author
Language
English
Description
"The English and Their History presents the momentous story of England "first as an idea, and then as a kingdom, as a country, a people and a culture." Here, in a single volume, is a fresh and comprehensive account of the English and their history. With extraordinary insight, Robert Tombs examines language, literature, law, religion, politics, and more while investigating the sources of England's collective memory and belief. The English and Their...
Author
Language
English
Formats
Description
With insight, humor and fascinating detail, Lacey brings brilliantly to life the stories that made England — from Ethelred the Unready to Richard the Lionheart, the Venerable Bede to Piers the Ploughman.
The greatest historians are vivid storytellers, Robert Lacey reminds us, and in Great Tales from English History, he proves his place among them, illuminating in unforgettable detail the characters and events that shaped a nation.
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The greatest historians are vivid storytellers, Robert Lacey reminds us, and in Great Tales from English History, he proves his place among them, illuminating in unforgettable detail the characters and events that shaped a nation.
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Author
Language
English
Formats
Description
This is a provocative and panoramic survey of two thousand years of English history. Johnson tells the story of how a small nation, living in a geographical backwater, developed unique economic and political institutions, expanded its territory, and saddled upon it the frame of a modern industrial society.
Language
English
Description
Three versions of the Judgment of Solomon story illustrate the changes that have taken place in the English language across more than a millennium: from Aelfric's 10th-century account of how Solomon's wisdom reached to the truth, through Middle, to Early Modern and Modern English. At each stage, the grammar and vocabulary of the pieces are analyzed, as are the social assumptions of the writers. The Old and Middle English selections are read by scholars...
Author
Language
English
Description
Great poetry can indeed outlast stone and the glory of princes, and the English poetic tradition is perhaps the richest in the world. This audiobook tells the story of that tradition through its towering figures – Spenser and Shakespeare, Milton and Dryden, Great poetry can indeed outlast stone and the glory of princes, and the English poetic tradition is perhaps the richest in the world. This audiobook tells the story of that tradition through...
Author
Language
English
Description
Explore the indelible linguistic effects of the peoples of African descent who were brought to America as slaves, who went on to develop a richly expressive language variety that today is emulated by young people across the world-African American English. Contrary to common misunderstandings, this well-studied dialect is governed by intricate and consistent rules.
Author
Language
English
Description
Explore how the English settlers gradually transformed themselves from colonists to American citizens, and how English in America became American English. Myriad dialects began to coalesce, and there was an explosion of linguistic creativity, especially in the creation of dialect words - Americanisms like "raccoon" and "bifocal".
Author
Language
English
Formats
Description
Margery Kempe. Aemilia Lanyer. Aphra Behn. Lady Mary. Jane Austen.
Warned not to write – and certainly not to bite – these women put pen to paper anyway and wrote themselves into history.
'Smart, funny and highly readable... a tour de force.' A.L. Kennedy
Ever since Sappho first put stylus to papyrus, women who write have been labelled mad, undisciplined and dangerous. Funny and provocative,...
Warned not to write – and certainly not to bite – these women put pen to paper anyway and wrote themselves into history.
'Smart, funny and highly readable... a tour de force.' A.L. Kennedy
Ever since Sappho first put stylus to papyrus, women who write have been labelled mad, undisciplined and dangerous. Funny and provocative,...
Author
Language
English
Description
Begin with a big-picture overview of the American English dialect map, asking as we explore: What is the difference between a language, a dialect, and an accent? Discover the intricate rules governing all linguistic systems, and consider how and why some varieties of language become valued standards and others are stigmatized.
Author
Language
English
Description
America has always been a land of immigrants, and American English has been shaped since its earliest days by contact among immigrants from all over the British Isles and from around the world. Consider how the languages of the many immigrants who poured into America in the 19th and early 20th centuries gave rise to distinctive ethnic dialects of American English.
Language
English
Description
English, an incredibly rich and complex language, also has the largest vocabulary. This program provides an overview of four key periods in the chronological history of the English language and how events in each period shaped the words, spelling, pronunciation, and grammar of English. We explore the cultural and social influences on Old English, Middle English, Early Modern English, and Modern English. Excerpts from Beowulf, The Canterbury Tales,...
Author
Language
English
Description
Our journey continues with the westward expansion of American English, as the New England dialect spreads across the North, the South extends to the Southwest, and people in the middle increasingly intermingle. Along the way, dialect mixing and leveling lead to increasing standardization, or at least the ideal of a single, uniform standard, and "General American English" is born.
Author
Language
English
Description
Moving into 20th-century America, examine how changes in movement patterns of peoples, and of information, have affected language change. Consider population movements from rural to urban to suburban-and then back to the city again; the Civil Rights Movement; and the increasing influence of Hollywood media and the dawn of the Internet age.
Author
Language
English
Description
The main English dialect hubs in the new American colonies were centered on Jamestown, New England, and Philadelphia. See how these were influenced by contact with Native American languages, Spanish, French, Dutch, and the West African languages of slaves, and learn about the five stages of development English dialects typically undergo everywhere English is spoken in the world.
Author
Language
English
Description
Secure as a major player on the world stage, the U.S. can now look inward and focus on the intra-national linguistic and cultural diversity that's been there since English speakers first arrived on the American continent. Discover that regional dialect differentiation is actually increasing, not receding, and consider the development of English as it continues to spread across the world.
Author
Language
English
Description
Discover the fascinating story of England through 1000 Interesting Facts!
This audiobook takes you on an intriguing journey through time, from the Roman invasion to Brexit. Whether you're a history enthusiast or just curious about England's rich heritage, this comprehensive guide has something for everyone!
You'll explore:
This audiobook is perfect for history buffs, students, or anyone who wants to expand their knowledge of England. Packed with fascinating...
Author
Language
English
Formats
Description
"A literate exploration of why we use—or mangle—our native tongue."—USA Today
Bill Bryson celebrates America's magnificent offspring in the book that reveals once and for all how a dusty western hamlet with neither woods nor holly came to be known as Hollywood...and exactly why Mr. Yankee Doodle call his befeathered cap "Macaroni."
Author
Language
English
Description
See how American language policies and language attitudes have shifted back and forth over the centuries, from periods of relative tolerance for non-English languages in the U.S., to times of heightened fear for the "safety" of English in America, and concurrent attempts at stricter language legislation. Is there reason to worry?
Language
English
Description
Voiced by comedian Clive Anderson, this entertaining romp through the history of English squeezes 1,600 years of history into 10 one-minute clips. Bursting with fascinating facts, the clip collection looks at how English grew from a regional tongue into a major global language before reflecting on the future of English in the 21st century. Video clips include: *Anglo-Saxon: The Angles and the Saxons came up with the everyday words we really needed,...