The Story of English: Revised Edition

Now revised, The Story of English is the first book to tell the whole story of the English language. Originally paired with a major PBS miniseries, this book presents a stimulating and comprehensive record of spoken and written English-from its Anglo-Saxon origins some two thousand years ago to the present day, when English is the dominant language of commerce and culture with more than one billion English speakers around the world. From Cockney, Scouse, and Scots to Gulla, Singlish, Franglais, and the latest African American slang, this sweeping history of the English language is the essential introduction for anyone who wants to know more about our common tongue.

The renowned and lavishly illustrated history of the evolution of the English language and the companion to PBS's acclaimed series--now completely revised and expanded. "Rarely has the English language been scanned so brightly and broadly in a single volume."--San Francisco Chronicle. Illustrations.