(Paperback, Second Edition)

Language expert Max Cryers new book is an up-to-date guide to some of the most interesting words and phrases in the English language: where they come from, why we say them, what they mean. Bulging with information, it is a useful reference book and the ideal gift for anyone curious about the words and expressions we use.

(Paperback)

THE TIMES columnist Oliver Kamm takes on the pedants in this witty, authoritative and sometimes provocative guide to the use and abuse of the English language.

(Paperback)

An in-depth biography of the Latin language from its very beginnings to the present day from the widely acclaimed author of Empires of the Word.

(Hardback)

For armchair travellers and language nerds: the surprising stories behind places that have become words.

(Hardback)

Snowflake, elite, expert . . . What are today's 'bad words' and what do they say about us, both as individuals and as a society

(Paperback)

A work on dudescussions. It lets you find out how to: define your stripping point (the precise number of Jager shots that make a woman want to get naked with you); elect yourself the next Abraham Drinkin' and make an Inebriation Proclamation (four whores and seven beers ago...); and, stop brocrastinating.

(Paperback)

Discover a new and effective way to access the world's ancient knowledge. With 24 units covering the key skills of reading and writing, this course gives you the confidence you need to understand Aramaic.

(Paperback)

The follow-up to Motherfoclir, exploring the Irish language, both the very old and the very new. Craic Baby hinges on how watching a child learn to communicate changes how you think about language.

(Hardback)

The follow-up to Motherfoclir, exploring the Irish language, both the very old and the very new. Craic Baby hinges on how watching a child learn to communicate changes how you think about language.

(Paperback)

(Paperback)

From dardledumdue, which means daydreamer in East Anglia, through forkin robbins, the Yorkshire term for earwigs, to clemt, a Lancashire word that means hungry, this title investigates an astonishingly rich variety of regional expressions, and provides insight into the history of the English language.

(Paperback)

Takes readers from Aristotle's investigation of metaphor right up to the neuroscientific insights into how metaphor works in the brain. This title explores how a life without metaphor, as experienced by some people with autism spectrum disorders, significantly changes the way a person interacts with the world.

(Paperback)

How do we really make ourselves understood to other people This book shows how, from puns to poetry, news bulletins to the Bible, Asterix to Swedish films, translation is at the heart of everything we do - and makes us who we are.

(Paperback)

Raymond Williams seminal exploration of the history of meaning of some of the most important words in the English language.

(Paperback)

From advertising to the Ancient Greeks, from the military to meteorology, Kicking the Bucket at the Drop of a Hat takes us on a wonderful journey through our languages history.

(Hardback)

Presents a treatment that reports on the extinction crisis which threatens many languages worldwide. Through photos, graphics, short vignettes, interviews, and first-person stories, this book documents the author's around-the-world adventures to meet with last speakers of languages.

(Hardback)

(Hardback)

A fascinating, attractively illustrated collection of household sayings with their origins and meanings.

(Paperback)

A humorous investigation of the Irish language.

(Hardback)

On the Tip of My Tongue is a witty and chatty curated list of words for everyday life encounters.

(Paperback)

Where does the ampersand get its name from What does the hashtag have to do with commerce in ancient Rome This book gives answers to these questions. From the pilcrow to the ampersand, it reflects the changes in written communication through the ages, charting how punctuation has adapted to each new technological innovation.

(Paperback)

Signs of Civilisation provides an account of the rich cultural history of punctuation.

(Paperback)

How on earth did 'with bells on' come to express enthusiasm And what do chips on shoulders have to do with inferiority complexes Spilling the Beans on the Cat's Pyjamas provides us with the meanings of these well-worn and much-loved phrases by putting these linguistic quirks in context, and explaining how and why they were first used.

(Paperback, Main)

Why won't language do as it's told Join the Economist's Johnson columnist on a headspinning journey of discovery