Dictionaries: A Very Short Introduction

Dictionaries: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Lynda Mugglestone
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0199573794
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 161

Get Book Here

Book Description
Dictionaries are far more than works which list the words and meanings of a language. In this Very Short Introduction Lynda Mugglestone takes a look at how dictionaries are made, considering how they reflect the dominant social and cultural assumptions of the time in which they were written.

Dictionaries: A Very Short Introduction

Dictionaries: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Lynda Mugglestone
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0199573794
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 161

Get Book Here

Book Description
Dictionaries are far more than works which list the words and meanings of a language. In this Very Short Introduction Lynda Mugglestone takes a look at how dictionaries are made, considering how they reflect the dominant social and cultural assumptions of the time in which they were written.

Slang

Slang PDF Author: Jonathon Green
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0198729537
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 145

Get Book Here

Book Description
"In this Very Short Introduction Jonathon Green asks what words qualify as slang, and whether slang should be acknowledged as a language in its own right. Looking forward, he considers what the digital revolution means for the future of slang."--Cover flap.

Film: A Very Short Introduction

Film: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Michael Wood
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0192803530
Category : Art
Languages : en
Pages : 153

Get Book Here

Book Description
Film is considered to be the dominant art form of the twentieth century. It can be considered many other things; a record of events, a modern mythology, a career, an industry, an art, a hobby, and much else. Michael Wood explores the history of film, its venture into the digital age, and its role and impact on modern society.

Reading: A Very Short Introduction

Reading: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Belinda Jack
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0192552449
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 161

Get Book Here

Book Description
Today many people take reading for granted, but we remain some way off from attaining literacy for the global human population. And whilst we think we know what reading is, it remains in many ways a mysterious process, or set of processes. The effects of reading are myriad: it can be informative, distracting, moving, erotically arousing, politically motivating, spiritual, and much, much more. At different times and in different places reading means different things. In this Very Short Introduction Belinda Jack explores the fascinating history of literacy, and the opportunities reading opens. For much of human history reading was the preserve of the elite, and most reading meant being read to. Innovations in printing, paper-making, and transport, combined with the rise of public education from the late eighteenth century on, brought a dramatic rise in literacy in many parts of the world. Established links between a nation's levels of literacy and its economy led to the promotion of reading for political ends. But, equally, reading has been associated with subversive ideas, leading to censorship through multiple channels: denying access to education, controlling publishing, destroying libraries, and even the burning of authors and their works. Indeed, the works of Voltaire were so often burned that an enterprising Parisian publisher produced a fire-proof edition, decorated with a phoenix. But, as Jack demonstrates, reading is a collaborative act between an author and a reader, and one which can never be wholly controlled. Telling the story of reading, from the ancient world to digital reading and restrictions today, Belinda Jack explores why it is such an important aspect of our society. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Linguistics

Linguistics PDF Author: P. H. Matthews
Publisher: OUP Oxford
ISBN: 0191577510
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 158

Get Book Here

Book Description
Linguistics falls in the gap between arts and science, on the edges of which the most fascinating discoveries and the most important problems are found. Rather than following the conventional organization of many contemporary introductions to the subject, the author of this stimulating guide begins his discussion with the oldest, 'arts' end of the subject and moves chronologically through to the newest research - the 'science' aspects. A series of short thematic chapters look in turn at such areas as the prehistory of languages and their common origins, language and evolution, language in time and space (the nature of change inherent in language), grammars and dictionaries (how systematic is language?), and phonetics. Explication of the newest discoveries pertaining to language in the brain completes the coverage of all major aspects of linguistics from a refreshing and insightful angle. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Writing and Script: A Very Short Introduction

Writing and Script: A Very Short Introduction PDF Author: Andrew Robinson
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199567786
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 177

Get Book Here

Book Description
Starting with the origins of writing five thousand years ago, with cuneiform and Egyptian hieroglyphs, Robinson explains how these early forms developed into hundreds of scripts, including the Roman alphabet and Chinese characters. He reveals how the modern writing symbols and abbreviations we take for granted today--including airport signage and text messaging--resemble ancient ones much more closely than we might think. The book also includes a chronology of events from 3300 BC to AD 2000, a list of titles for further reading, and an index.

The Whole World in a Book

The Whole World in a Book PDF Author: Sarah Ogilvie
Publisher:
ISBN: 0190913193
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 359

Get Book Here

Book Description
The 19th century saw a new wave of dictionaries, many of which remain household names. Those dictionaries didn't just store words; they represented imperial ambitions, nationalist passions, religious fervor, and utopian imaginings. This volume shows how 19th-century lexicography continues to influence how we speak, write, and think in the 21st century.

Magna Carta

Magna Carta PDF Author: Nicholas Vincent
Publisher: OUP Oxford
ISBN: 0191633496
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 173

Get Book Here

Book Description
The Magna Carta has long been considered the foundation stone of the British Constitution, yet few people today understand either its contents or its context. This Very Short Introduction introduces the document to a modern audience, explaining its origins in the troubled reign of King John, and tracing the significance of the role that it played thereafter as a totemic symbol of the subject's right to protection against the raw and absolute authority of the sovereign. Drawing upon the great advances that have been made in the past two decades in our understanding of thirteenth-century English history, Nicholas Vincent demonstrates why the Magna Carta continues to be of enormous popular interest. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

The Oxford History of English

The Oxford History of English PDF Author: Lynda Mugglestone
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199660166
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 613

Get Book Here

Book Description
This text traces the language from its obscure Indo-European roots to its 21st-century position as the world's first language. It describes the history of English within the British Isles, its changing roles in different places, and its rise to global pre-eminence.

How English Became English

How English Became English PDF Author: Simon Horobin
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0198754272
Category : English language
Languages : en
Pages : 188

Get Book Here

Book Description
The English language is a subject of fascination for many people and is frequently the subject of lively debate in the media. In this book, Simon Horobin considers the rich history of the English language, before moving to discuss its role, status, and future.