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Wordwatching
- Field Notes from an Amateur Philologist
- Narrated by: James Millar
- Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins
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Wordwatching
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Summary
A bonzer (p. 288) discussion of the strange but dinkum (p. 289) pedigree (p. 224) of the naughty (p. 202), nice (p. 212), and, sometimes, obscene (p. 217) English language.
We live in a torrent of words — from radio and television, books and newspapers, and now from the internet. But, as Julian Burnside reminds us in this new edition of the bestselling Wordwatching, words are a source both of pleasure and power, and can be deployed for good or for ill.
Some of these essays explore curiosities in odd corners of the language simply to remind us of the extraordinary richness of the English language. Other pieces use small matters of language to illustrate larger processes of cultural borrowing and change. Burnside’s musings remind us that we should not be alarmed at the instability of the language; rather, we should see its wanton borrowings as a source of its strength and vitality. Wordwatching also reminds us of the need to be aware of the misuse of language in the service of sinister purposes — whether political, ideological, social, or personal. An ear well-tuned to the nuances of vocabulary inoculates the hearer against this epidemic of deception.
With nine new essays, dealing with subjects as diverse as deadlines, fancy words, the problems with ‘issue’, odd sounds, oxymorons, and the fallacy of ‘wading in’, this revised and expanded edition of Wordwatching is a fascinating demonstration of the power and the pleasure of the English language.
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What listeners say about Wordwatching
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Andrzej Lengiewicz
- 13-02-20
Very informative and easy to listen to.
English is such an amazing language. For me, not a native English speaker, it is still full of traps and surprises even after 15 years of using it. This book helps with spotting some of them and also understanding the reason behind them.
Definitely worth listening.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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- gouldina
- 07-12-22
A great listen
At first it seems interesting but to lack coherence. That changes as the book progresses. I thought it was excellent.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Rockesh Gurtu
- 17-12-23
informative , educational
great narration , learnt a lot , enjoyed a lot , will definitely listen to it again !
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kay-Leigh de Sousa
- 14-11-18
Laugh out loud funny!
This was quite a surprise. I don't know what I was expecting but this was so much more. It is hilarious, educational, politically relevant and brilliantly narrated as well.
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1 person found this helpful