Free eBooks How To Speak Brit: The Quintessential Guide To The King's English, Cockney Slang, And Other Flummoxing British Phrases Available To Downloads
The quintessential A to Z guide to British English—perfect for every egghead and bluestocking looking to conquer the language barrier Oscar Wilde once said the Brits have "everything in common with America nowadays except, of course, language." Any visitor to Old Blighty can sympathize with Mr. Wilde. After all, even fluent English speakers can be at sixes and sevens when told to pick up the "dog and bone" or "head to the loo," so they can "spend a penny." Wherever did these peculiar expressions come from? British author Christopher J. Moore made a name for himself on this side of the pond with the sleeper success of his previous book, In Other Words. Now, Moore draws on history, literature, pop culture, and his own heritage to explore the phrases that most embody the British character. He traces the linguistic influence of writers from Chaucer to Shakespeare and Dickens to Wodehouse, and unravels the complexity Brits manage to imbue in seemingly innocuous phrases like "All right." Along the way, Moore reveals the uniquely British origins of some of the English language’s more curious sayings. For example: Who is Bob and how did he become your uncle? Why do we refer to powerless politicians as “lame ducks”? How did “posh” become such a stylish word?Part language guide, part cultural study, How to Speak Brit is the perfect addition to every Anglophile’s library and an entertaining primer that will charm the linguistic-minded legions.
Hardcover: 128 pages
Publisher: Avery (September 11, 2014)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1592408982
ISBN-13: 978-1592408986
Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.7 x 7.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (33 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #88,594 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #11 in Books > Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Slang & Idioms #23 in Books > Reference > Words, Language & Grammar > Semantics #66 in Books > Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > English
3.25 StarsA short and sweet guide to British phrases with historical and cultural tidbits throughout. Many of the included slang is also frequently heard in America (although a few phrases coined as American were unfamiliar to me). A good book to put on a coffee table.GoodReads FirstReads Giveaway
I really liked this book, especially the quick little bits of history and culture behind the phrases selected for inclusion. But I had to take a star off because many of the phrases, while having an interesting origin story, are not necessarily hard to understand or even uniquely British. I would have liked to see more regional dialectal differences explained, and I am still confused by Cockney rhyming slang. That said, it's a wonderfully cheerful read, and definitely a good way for non-Anglophiles to get their start.
The book contains only a small number of words and phrases. They are well explained, but they represent a small fraction of the material which should have been included. If the reader's intention is to be entertained, this book may be helpful. If the user is a scholar or lexicographer, he or she should look for a more substantial collection of British phrases.
As a Brit living in the USA, I bought this for one of my colleagues as a joke. Overall its good, but I feel there is a lot missing. I feel its over priced too.
interesting book re British idioms and though I am a native user interesting background into many of the sayings that I use often without knowing their interesting origins
This is a well made hardcover book. It has almost everything you need to know how to speak like a Brit. It includes British Phrase's. This is sized at 5.3 x 0.6 x 7.8 inches . It has about 128 pages. It is a good book. Fun and different to read. Fast shipping
My son, who is traveling to England, got a real kick out of it.
Although I expected something different, the book is worth your time and money. Very informative, surprising and funny at times.
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