Gift of the Gob: Morsels of English Language History

(Paperback)

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Why can we fall in love but not in hate What do codswallop and poppycock share Why not one house and two hice How come we scream blue murder, sing the blues and turn the air blue In Gift of the Gob Kate Burridge explores our language and the everlasting tug-of-love that exists between 'proper' English and its wayward relation: slang. She investigates the place where all that is 'wrong', 'bad' or 'sloppy' slips into everyday use, before becoming 'proper' in its turn! Join Kate on a fascinating journey through English language history, as she untangles words and their meanings, and unearths the centuries of spectacular changes that have transformed the very core of our language. These mouth-filling morsels of English language history demonstrate the poetic ingenuity of common language, and celebrate its remarkable inventiveness.

Author Bio

Kate Burridge is a prominent Australian linguist who is currently the Professor of Linguistics in the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics at Monash University. She is a regular presenter of language segments on ABC Radio and appears weekly as a panelist on ABC TV's CAN WE HELP