Why is there an 'h' in ghost? William Caxton, inventor of the printing press and his Flemish employees are to blame: without a dictionary or style guide to hand in fifteenth century Bruges, the typesetters simply spelled it the way it...

Die Cambridge Enzyklopädie der Sprache

This volume is one in a series of monographs being issued under the general title of "Disorders of Human Communication". Each monograph deals in detail with a particular aspect of vocal communication and its disorders, and is written by...

The Disappearing Dictionary: A Treasury of Lost English Dialect Words

David Crystal is Honorary Professor of Linguistics at the University of Wales, Bangor. He has published over 90 books and was awarded the OBE for services to the English language in 1995. He is the editor of the Penguin Encyclopedia and...

This 'engaging history of punctuation' (Wall Street Journal) is not only the first history of its kind, but a complete guide on how to use English punctuation.Behind every punctuation mark lies a thousand stories. The punctuation of...

Banter, chit-chat, gossip, natter, tete-a-tete: these are just a few of the terms for the varied ways in which we interact with one another through conversation. David Crystal explores the factors that motivate so many different kinds of...

The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language

The best-selling grammar reference - essential for all teachers and students of English. It provides an effortless tour through the structures and terminology of the English Language von Crystal, David

The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language von Crystal, David

A history and discussion of language written specifically for a young audience in an accessible and entertaining style. He sheds light on fascinating aspects of linguistic history and looks forward to the future, exploring the effect of...

"Language Death" ist ein Buch, das sich mit dem alarmierenden Phänomen des Verschwindens von Sprachen weltweit befasst. Geschrieben vom renommierten Linguisten David Crystal, bietet das Buch einen detaillierten Überblick über die Gründe...