If you've ever wondered where some of our "bad words" come from (or even what they meant!), then this is the book for you. Highly readable, extremely comprehensive, and always entertaining, Hugh Rawson's 'Wicked Words' is a must-have for anyone curious about language, society, history, and the fine art of insulting your fellow man. There's careful research (lays to rest the old rumour about 'For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge' being the source of a well-known dirty word) mixed with sly humor. A word of caution: Rawson covers even the most taboo words in the English language, so an open mind is a necessity. And you'll want to think twice before letting your kids look at it.
Beginning to learn a completely new language can be a daunting prospect. "Success with Languages" is designed to help all students develop the skills they need to become an effective language learner and to make the most of language study. Written by experienced language teachers at the Open University, this book offers crucial and practical advice on important areas such as: - choosing the language and study programme - setting personal goals for language learning and monitoring progress - using ICT to support language learning.
This first issue of Modern Language Journal sure meets your curiosity about its origin:
- At the beginning, what was its name? Is it the same as today's name? - Its appearance - Who were the first authors of the first articles? (Note: the cover is just illustrative, not original!)
Mastering the vocabulary of a foreign language is one of the most daunting tasks that language learners face. The immensity of the task is underscored by the realisation that it is not only single words but also numerous standardised phrases (idioms, collocations, etc.) that need to be acquired. There is thus a clear need for instructional methods that help learners tackle this task, and yet few proposals for vocabulary instruction have so far gone beyond techniques for rote-learning and familiar means of promoting of noticing.
Over the last twenty years, phraseology has become a major field of pure and applied research in Western European and North American linguistics. This book is made up of authoritative contributions from leading specialists who examine the increasingly crucial role played by ready-made word-combinations in language acquisition and adult language use. This book is the first comprehensive and up-to-date account of the subject to be published in English.
If you've ever wondered where some of our "bad words" come from (or even what they meant!), then this is the book for you. Highly readable, extremely comprehensive, and always entertaining, Hugh Rawson's 'Wicked Words' is a must-have for anyone curious about language, society, history, and the fine art of insulting your fellow man. There's careful research (lays to rest the old rumour about 'For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge' being the source of a well-known dirty word) mixed with sly humor. A word of caution: Rawson covers even the most taboo words in the English language, so an open mind is a necessity. And you'll want to think twice before letting your kids look at it.
