Words on the Move: Why English Won't - and Can't - Sit Still (Like, Literally)
Sep 2016 · Henry Holt and Company
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About this ebook
Uncover the Fascinating Evolution of the English Language
In Words on the Move, bestselling linguist John McWhorter takes us on a lively tour of how the English language is evolving before our eyes -- and why we should embrace this transformation and not fight it. Language is always changing, and while we understand that new words must be created for new things, the way English is spoken today often rubs many of us the wrong way.
Whether it's the use of literally to mean "figuratively" rather than "by the letter," the way young people use LOL and like, or business jargon like What's the ask? -- it often seems as if the language is deteriorating. But as McWhorter shows in this delightful and eye-opening exploration, these shifts are a natural process common to all languages, and we should embrace and appreciate these changes, not condemn them.
Drawing examples from everyday life and employing a generous helping of humor, Words on the Move opens our eyes to the surprising backstories to the words and expressions we use every day. Did you know that silly once meant "blessed"? Or that ought was the original past tense of owe? Or that the suffix -ly in adverbs is actually a remnant of the word like?
McWhorter encourages us to marvel at the dynamism and resilience of the English language. His book offers a lively journey through which we discover that words are ever on the move and our lives are all the richer for it. A must-read for anyone interested in the fascinating world of linguistics, etymology, and the evolution of language.
In Words on the Move, bestselling linguist John McWhorter takes us on a lively tour of how the English language is evolving before our eyes -- and why we should embrace this transformation and not fight it. Language is always changing, and while we understand that new words must be created for new things, the way English is spoken today often rubs many of us the wrong way.
Whether it's the use of literally to mean "figuratively" rather than "by the letter," the way young people use LOL and like, or business jargon like What's the ask? -- it often seems as if the language is deteriorating. But as McWhorter shows in this delightful and eye-opening exploration, these shifts are a natural process common to all languages, and we should embrace and appreciate these changes, not condemn them.
Drawing examples from everyday life and employing a generous helping of humor, Words on the Move opens our eyes to the surprising backstories to the words and expressions we use every day. Did you know that silly once meant "blessed"? Or that ought was the original past tense of owe? Or that the suffix -ly in adverbs is actually a remnant of the word like?
McWhorter encourages us to marvel at the dynamism and resilience of the English language. His book offers a lively journey through which we discover that words are ever on the move and our lives are all the richer for it. A must-read for anyone interested in the fascinating world of linguistics, etymology, and the evolution of language.
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About the author
John McWhorter is an associate professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University and is the author of more than fifteen books, including The Language Hoax, The Power of Babel, and Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue. He writes for TIME, CNN, The Wall Street Journal, and The Atlantic, and his articles have also appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, The New Republic, and The Daily Beast.
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