A review by lemontartpages
Language Myths by Laurie Bauer, Peter Trudgill
5.0
So much is packed into so few pages! This book covers "language myths" that address different parts of linguistics, from grammar to accents to spelling. While many of the essays are persuasive -- they aim to debunk a language myth -- they are also very informative and give facts both for and against the argument. I really felt that while the authors of the essays were trying to convince me, the reader, that the myth was wrong, they also wanted to teach why the myth sometimes isn't wrong -- all myth is based in fact-- and why the general public who believes these myths is wrong about language. One does not need to be familiar with linguistic terms as many of the essays briefly explain technical terms such as "phoneme" within the text.
As someone who is passionate about language, I found this book really fascinating. Each essay covers a new topic, although some of them overlap, especially the grammar ones. While I read it on my own, I know it can be used as a textbook and I see why. Each essay is a good way to start a discussion on different parts of language/ why language is important. While the essays mostly focus on English, I really enjoyed that some addressed other languages (French, Aboriginal, etc). The fact that several essays address how accent/language impacts perception and prejudice is very telling that this essay collection was meant to be used in a classroom. That's not to say that those topics aren't important outside of the classroom, just that tolerance is often a focal point for those pursuing education as a career.
Overall, a great little linguistics book filled with many things to think about. Highly recommend to anyone who wants to know more about how language, especially English, works.
As someone who is passionate about language, I found this book really fascinating. Each essay covers a new topic, although some of them overlap, especially the grammar ones. While I read it on my own, I know it can be used as a textbook and I see why. Each essay is a good way to start a discussion on different parts of language/ why language is important. While the essays mostly focus on English, I really enjoyed that some addressed other languages (French, Aboriginal, etc). The fact that several essays address how accent/language impacts perception and prejudice is very telling that this essay collection was meant to be used in a classroom. That's not to say that those topics aren't important outside of the classroom, just that tolerance is often a focal point for those pursuing education as a career.
Overall, a great little linguistics book filled with many things to think about. Highly recommend to anyone who wants to know more about how language, especially English, works.