Exactly
Posted by Caroline on May 21, 1998 at 11:46:45:
In response to "The Mother Tongue" by Bryson ??, written by Woodhouse on May 21, 1998 at 09:02:48
I agree with you and John, it's a nice book, and a good start on this kind of thing. I don't have my own copy but it's in my library, and I get it out from time to time. And Susan, you are right, there are some bits that seem to be not quite right, and I don't know why, exactly!
The problem with this book, says she, who knows almost nothing about linguistics, is that it is an overview of the last thousand years, and doesn't really get in to the nitty gritty necessary to to explain the kind of question that Jennie C came up with. That kind of knowledge seems to be thr realm of university papers, and not available to the general public, and it's infuriating! (But then most of this stuff gets like this!)
Perhaps we could get Bill Bryson to write a book on Austen? ;-)
And, as an off-topic aside, his other book, "Notes From A Small Island" is also absolutely wonderful. It's about Britain and the British, from an American point of view. It's carefully and lovingly written, absolutely accurate, and very funny.
- Bryson John W 18:50:54 5/21/98
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- I am a Bryson fan Lesley 01:35:35 5/24/98
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- Bill Bryson audio books Sarah P 09:01:28 5/25/98
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- Me, too.... Lynne 00:43:39 5/25/98
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- Bill Bryson audio books Sarah P 09:01:28 5/25/98
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- I am a Bryson fan Lesley 01:35:35 5/24/98
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