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A review by evaseyler
The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way by Bill Bryson
4.0
This was very good, obviously well-researched. Not as exciting a read as, say, Walk in the Woods or Lost Continent, but very educational. I learned a lot about our language and other languages that I never would have known otherwise. I learned that poppycock comes from an old Dutch word meaning "soft dung". I made the mistake of sharing this factoid with my 12-year-old brother.
I think the most interesting concept I picked up, however, was this: English is in a constant state of change. The rules we use are often absolutely ridiculous. So, while it's important to speak and communicate clearly, we shouldn't be so uptight about things like using "hopefully" in a non-adverbial way or ending a sentence with a preposition.
I think the most interesting concept I picked up, however, was this: English is in a constant state of change. The rules we use are often absolutely ridiculous. So, while it's important to speak and communicate clearly, we shouldn't be so uptight about things like using "hopefully" in a non-adverbial way or ending a sentence with a preposition.