内容简介
Theworld'sforemostexpertontheEnglishlanguagetakesusonanentertainingandeye-openingtourofthehistoryofourvernacularthroughtheages.Inthisentertaininghistoryoftheworld'smostubiquitouslanguage,DavidCrystaldrawsonone
作者简介
DavidCrystalworksfromhishomeinHolyhead,NorthWales,asawriter,editor,lecturer,andbroadcaster.BorninLisburn,NorthernIrelandin1941,hespenthisearlyyearsinHolyhead.HisfamilymovedtoLiverpoolin1951,andhereceivedhissecondaryschoolingatStMary'sCollege.HereadEnglishatUniversityCollegeLondon(1959-62),specialisedinEnglishlanguagestudies,didsomeresearchthereattheSurveyofEnglishUsageunderRandolphQuirk(1962-3),thenjoinedacademiclifeasalecturerinlinguistics,firstatBangor,thenatReading.Hepublishedthefirstofhis100orsobooksin1964,andbecameknownchieflyforhisresearchworkinEnglishlanguagestudies,insuchfieldsasintonationandstylistics,andintheapplicationoflinguisticstoreligious,educationalandclinicalcontexts,notablyinthedevelopmentofarangeoflinguisticprofilingtechniquesfordiagnosticandtherapeuticpurposes.HeheldachairattheUniversityofReadingfor10years,andisnowHonoraryProfessorofLinguisticsattheUniversityofWales,Bangor.Thesedayshedivideshistimebetweenworkonlanguageandworkoninternetapplications.
