The Prodigal Tongue: Dispatches from the Future of English
by Abley, Mark
- Used
- Fine
- first
- Condition
- Fine/Fine
- Seller
-
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Toronto: Random House Canada, 2008. First Edition. Paper Over Boards. Fine/Fine. 8vo. 262 pp. The present and future of the English language. An as new copy.
Synopsis
An exhilarating exploration of how the world's languages are likely to transform and be transformed by their speakers Mark Abley, author of Spoken Here, takes the reader on a global journey like no other—from Singapore to Tokyo, from Oxford to Los Angeles, through the Internet and back in time. As much a travel book as a tour of words at play, The Prodigal Tongue goes beyond grammar and vocabulary to discover how language is irrevocably changing the people of the world in far-reaching ways. On his travels, Abley encounters bloggers, translators, novelists, therapists, dictionary makers, hip-hop performers, and Web-savvy teens. He talks to a married couple who corresponded passionately online before they met in “meatspace.” And he listens to teenagers, puzzling out the words they coin in chat rooms and virtual worlds. Everywhere he goes, he asks what the future is likely to hold for the ways we communicate. Abley balances a traditional concern for honesty and accuracy in language with a less traditional delight in the sheer creative energy of new words and expressions. Provocative, perceptive, and often hilarious, this is a book for everyone who cherishes the words we use.
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Details
- Bookseller
- Karol Krysik Books, ABAC/ILAB, IOBA, PBFA
(CA)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 10243
- Title
- The Prodigal Tongue: Dispatches from the Future of English
- Author
- Abley, Mark
- Format/Binding
- Paper Over Boards
- Book Condition
- Used - Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Fine
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First Edition
- Publisher
- Random House Canada
- Place of Publication
- Toronto
- Date Published
- 2008
Terms of Sale
Karol Krysik Books, ABAC/ILAB, IOBA, PBFA
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Karol Krysik Books, ABAC/ILAB, IOBA, PBFA
Biblio member since 2012
Toronto, Ontario
About Karol Krysik Books, ABAC/ILAB, IOBA, PBFA
Interesting and unusual books and printed matter. Visual items, illustrated books, private press, mythology/folklore, modern first editions. Member of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of Canada (ABAC) and theIndependent Online Booksellers Association (IOBA)
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- New
- A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
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