The Prodigal Tongue: The Love-Hate Relationship Between

The Prodigal Tongue: The Love-Hate Relationship Between American and British English

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An American linguist teaching in England explores the sibling rivalry between British and American English
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â€œEnglish accents are the sexiest.â€
â€œAmericans have ruined the English language.â€
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Such claims about the English language are often repeated but rarely examined. Professor Lynne Murphy is on the linguistic front line. In The Prodigal Tongue she explores the fiction and reality of the special relationship between British and American English. By examining the causes and symptoms of American Verbal Inferiority Complex and its flipside, British Verbal Superiority Complex, Murphy unravels the prejudices, stereotypes and insecurities that shape our attitudes to our own language.
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With great humo(u)r and new insights, Lynne Murphy looks at the social, political and linguistic forces that have driven American and British English in different directions: how Americans got from centre to center, why British accents are growing away from American ones, and what different things we mean when we say estate, frown, or middle class. Is anyone winning this war of the words? Will Yanks and Brits ever really understand each other?
Country USA
Brand Random House Books for Young Readers
Manufacturer Penguin Books
Binding Paperback
ItemPartNumber 9780143131106
Color Red
ReleaseDate 2018-04-10
UnitCount 1
EANs 9780143131106

Country	USA
Brand	Random House Books for Young Readers
Manufacturer	Penguin Books
Binding	Paperback
ItemPartNumber	9780143131106
Color	Red
ReleaseDate	2018-04-10
UnitCount	1
EANs	9780143131106

The Prodigal Tongue: The Love-Hate Relationship Between American and British English

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