The Mother Tongue
by Bryson, Bill
The Mother Tongue is a book by Bill Bryson which wittily compiles the history and origins of the English language and the language's various quirks. It is subtitled English And How It Got That Way. The book discusses the Indo-European origins of English, the growing status of English as a global language, the complex etymology of English words, the dialects of English, spelling reform, prescriptive grammar, and more minor topics including swearing.
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Mother Tongue: The Story of the English Language
by Bryson, Bill
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Published
- 2009-10-01
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780141040080
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- 1
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Devizes, Wiltshire, GBR
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$5.91
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Penguin, 2009-10-01. Paperback. Very Good. 8x5x1. Paperback. Only Bill Bryson could make a book about the English language so entertaining. With his boundless enthusiasm and restless eye for the absurd, this is his astonishing tour of English. Posted within 1 working day. 1st class tracked post to the UK, Airmail tracked worldwide. Robust recyclable packaging. Item Price
$5.91
The Mother Tongue - English & How It Got That Way
by Bryson, Bill
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- Very Good
- Edition
- Book Club (BCE/BOMC)
- Published
- 1990
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780965316590
- Quantity Available
- 1
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Skyway, Washington, USA
- Item Price
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$10.00
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William Morrow, 1990. Quarter cloth binding Book Club hardcover in a jacket, VG/VG. Tight and unmarked. 270pp., index, bibliography. Jacket has front flap corner-clipped and is lightly rubbed.. Book Club (BCE/BOMC). Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - 8" - 9" Tall. Item Price
$10.00
Mother Tongue: The Story of the English Language
by Bryson, Bill
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780141040080
- Quantity Available
- 1
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GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
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$1.25
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Paperback. Very Good. Item Price
$1.25
The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way
by Bill Bryson
- Condition
- Used - Very Good Condition
- Jacket Condition
- Good
- Published
- 1990
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780965316590
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Lexington, Missouri, USA
- Item Price
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$6.00
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Perennial, 1990. Hardcover. Very Good Condition/Good. Illustrator: . 270 pages. BCE. Light discoloring; a sound binding; very good shape. The jacket has light creasing and wear, a couple small nicks and stains. Illustrator: . Quantity Available: 1. Category: Languages & Linguistics; ISBN: 0965316599. Inventory No: 185873. . … Read more about this item Item Price
$6.00
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The Mother Tongue: English & How It Got That Way
by Bill Bryson
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Jacket Condition
- Good
- Edition
- Book Club Edition
- Published
- 1990
- ISBN
- 9780888078957
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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Decatur, Georgia, USA
- Item Price
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$3.00
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272 pages. BOMC edition. Good condition. Text pages are clean with no writing or markings; small check mark to front free end paper. Binding is strong; no leaning or shelf cocking to spine. Dust jacket is intact, not clipped, with minor edge wear, chipping, and small closed tears. Mild soiling to spine. Item Price
$3.00
Mother Tongue
by Bill Bryson
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- 1991
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780140143058
- Quantity Available
- 1
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Wellington, NZL
- Item Price
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$4.78
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Penguin Books Ltd. Good. 198mm / 129mm. Paperback. 1991. 288 pages. Cover worn<br>How did English, 'treated for centuries as the inadequate and second-rate tongue of peasants' become the undisputed global language? How did words like shampoo, sofa and rowdy (and others drawn from over fifty languages) find their way into our dictionary? In this revealing and… Read more about this item Item Price
$4.78
The Mother Tongue
by Bill Bryson
- Condition
- Used - Poor
- Published
- September 1, 1991
- ISBN
- 9780380715435
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- 1
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Brossard, Quebec, CAN
- Item Price
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$1.48
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Harper, New York, 1991. Later printing. Condition: Poor to good, unfortunately has a tear at top right of the cover, creasing along spine and edge wear. See picture.
From the publisher: With dazzling wit and astonishing insight, Bill Bryson—the acclaimed author of The Lost Continent—brilliantly explores the remarkable history, eccentricities, resilience and sheer fun of the English language. From the first… Read more about this item Item Price
$1.48
Mother Tongue: The English Language
by Bryson, Bill
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780140143058
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GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
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$1.25
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Paperback. Very Good. Item Price
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The Mother Tongue - English & How It Got That Way
by Bryson, Bill
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- Very Good
- Edition
- Book Club (BCE/BOMC)
- Published
- 1990
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780965316590
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Skyway, Washington, USA
- Item Price
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$14.00
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William Morrow, 1990. Book-of-the-Month Club full size quarter cloth hard cover with dust jacket, VG/VG. Clean, tight, square and unmarked. Dust jacket is lightly rubbed at extemes. 270pp., index, bibliography.. Book Club (BCE/BOMC). Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - 8" - 9" Tall. Item Price
$14.00
Mother tongue: the English language / Bill Bryson
by Bryson, Bill
- Condition
- Used
- Edition
- Fifth Edition
- Published
- 1991
- Binding
- Softcover
- ISBN
- 9780140143058
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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Galway, IRL
- Item Price
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$13.14
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London: Penguin, 1991. Fifth Edition. Softcover. Very good paperback copy; edges somewhat dust-dulled and nicked. Wrappers dust-toned. Minor browning to the pages. Remains particularly well-preserved overall. Physical description: 269 p.; 20 cm. Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 249-[255]) and index. Subjects: English language. English language History. Linguistics. English language History 20th century. English language Etymology. Maternal language. English… Read more about this item Item Price
$13.14
The Mother Tongue - English & How It Got That Way
by Bryson, Bill
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- Very Good
- Edition
- Book Club (BCE/BOMC)
- Published
- 1990
- Binding
- Hardcover
- ISBN
- 9780965316590
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Skyway, Washington, USA
- Item Price
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$10.00
Show Details
Description:
William Morrow, 1990. Quarter cloth binding Book Club hardcover in a jacket, VG/VG. Unmarked, showing light reading wear. 270pp., index, bibliography. Jacket is shelf rubbed.. Book Club (BCE/BOMC). Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. 8vo - 8" - 9" Tall. Item Price
$10.00
The Mother Tongue : English and How It Got That Way
by Bryson, Bill
- Condition
- Used - Good
- ISBN
- 9780380715435
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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Reno, Nevada, USA
- Item Price
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$7.09
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HarperCollins Publishers. Used - Good. Former library book; may include library markings. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Item Price
$7.09
The Mother Tongue : English and How It Got That Way
by Bryson, Bill
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Jacket Condition
- No Jacket
- Published
- 1991
- Binding
- Soft Cover
- ISBN
- 9780380715435
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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Winnipeg, Manitoba, CAN
- Item Price
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$11.07
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New York, NY, U.S.A.: HarperTrade, 1991. Soft Cover. Very Good/No Jacket. 270p. incl index. A jaunt through the evolution of the English language. Spoken by 300 million people wold wide. The author of "The lost continent" explores the resilience, fun, and eccentricities of English. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.
Item Price
$11.07
The Mother Tongue - English And How It Got That Way
by Bryson, Bill
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- 1990
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780380715435
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
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$5.99
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William Morrow Paperbacks, 1990. Paperback. Good. Missing dust jacket; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
$5.99
The Mother Tongue - English And How It Got That Way
by Bryson, Bill
- Condition
- Used - Good
- Published
- 1990
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780380715435
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Seattle, Washington, USA
- Item Price
-
$5.99
Show Details
Description:
William Morrow Paperbacks, 1990. Paperback. Good. Former library book; Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less.Dust jacket quality is not guaranteed. Item Price
$5.99
Mother Tongue: The English Language
by Bryson,Bill
- Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Binding
- Hardback
- ISBN
- 9780241130483
- Quantity Available
- 1
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GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
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$2.63
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Hardback. Very Good. Item Price
$2.63
The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way
by Bryson, Bill
- Condition
- Used - Acceptable
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780380715435
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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GORING BY SEA, West Sussex, GBR
- Item Price
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$3.70
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Paperback. Acceptable. Item Price
$3.70
Mother tongue: the English language / Bill Bryson
by Bryson, Bill
- Condition
- Used
- Edition
- First Edition
- Published
- 1990
- Binding
- Softcover
- ISBN
- 9780140143058
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Galway, IRL
- Item Price
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$10.74
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London: Penguin, 1990. First Edition. Softcover. Fine paperback copy. Particularly well-preserved; tight, bright and clean. Physical description; 269 p.; 20 cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. 249-[255]) and index. Subjects; English language. Linguistics. Etymology. Item Price
$10.74
Mother Tongue : English and How it Got That Way
by Bryson,Bill
- Condition
- As New
- Edition
- Re-issue
- Published
- 2001
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN
- 9780349101989
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
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STREETSVILLE, Ontario, CAN
- Item Price
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$12.50
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New York: HarperPerennial, 2001 Book. As New. Pbk.. Re-issue. "With dazzling wit and astonishing insight . Bryson brilliantly explores the remarkable history, eccentricities, re silience and sheer fun of the English language . the fascinating, often uproarious story of an inadequate, second-rate tongue of peasants that developed into one of the world's largest growth industries" 270p. bibliography.index. Item Price
$12.50
The Mother Tongue : English and How It Got That Way
by Bryson, Bill
- Condition
- Used - Good
- ISBN
- 9780380715435
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Seller
-
Reno, Nevada, USA
- Item Price
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$7.09
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HarperCollins Publishers. Used - Good. Used book that is in clean, average condition without any missing pages. Item Price
$7.09