English Words: Structure, History, Usage

Katamba, Francis

ISBN 10: 0415104688 / ISBN 13: 9780415104685

Published by Routledge, London, UK, 1995

About this Item

VERY GOOD softcover, no marks in text, square uncreased spine.

Seller Inventory # 045474

Bibliographic Details

• Title: English Words: Structure, History, Usage
• Publisher: Routledge, London, UK
• Publication Date: 1995
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0415104688
• ISBN 13: 9780415104685
• Binding: Soft cover
• Condition: Very Good
• Book Type: Book
• Seller catalogs:
  • Language
  • Alibris

About this title

Synopsis

This book aims to arouse curiosity about English words and about the nature of language in general, especially among introductory students who do not intend to specialize in linguistics. It examines words from various backgrounds - including poetry, journalism, advertising. No previous knowledge of linguistics is assumed. The approach to the study of words is descriptive rather than theoretical. It looks at the structure of words, their meaning, spelling and pronunciation, how new words are manufactured or imported, and how the meaning of words change with time. Katamba also investigates how the mind deals with the amazing intellectual feat of retrieving the right word from its mental dictionary during conversation.

Review

""Katamba brings words to life. So relaxed is his style that English Words often reads like a leisurely chat with an old friend. But don't be fooled...the data is used expertly to introduce a wide range of lexical issues and to provide deceptively sophisticated insights into morphology, semantics and phonology."
."
-Steven Jones, University of Manchester, UK
"Anyone who has an interest in the systematic study of words will find this book entertaining and serious at the same time. In an age of the World Wide Web and mobile technologies, this revised edition rightly addresses the impact on the lexicon from electronic-mediated communication. The student of language will find the challenging exercises, the hyperlinks and the various well-chosen examples particularly stimulating for understanding the nature of language."
."
-Vincent Ooi, National University of Singapore