30-Day Bestsellers

The English language is where words go to be tortured and mutilated into unrecognizable shadows of their former selves. It's where Latin, Greek, and Germanic roots are shredded apart and...

*A FINANCIAL TIMES , GUARDIAN AND TLS BOOK OF THE SUMMER* 'The fascinating story of ancient words ... new revelations await' The Guardian 'A magisterial feat' New Scientist ________________________________ One...

Bill Bryson's Mother Tongue is a hymn to the English language. In examining how a second-rate, mongrel tongue came to be the undisputed language of the globe. Bryson explores English...

'Susie Dent is a one-off. She breathes life and fun into words and language' Pam Ayres ' Susie Dent is a national treasure' Richard Osman Welcome to a year of...

The Complete Guide to Japanese Kanji is a unique study guide that provides a comprehensive introduction to all the kanji characters on the Japanese Ministry of Education's official Joyo (General...

'A must read for all who would like to understand the languages and culture of Indigenous Australians.' Dr Ernie Grant, Elder of the Jirrbal nation When Captain Cook landed at...

A landmark in Boswell and Johnson studies In Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson, one of the towering figures of English literature is revealed with unparalleled immediacy and originality, in a...

When we look up a word in a dictionary, we want to know not just its meaning but also its function and the circumstances under which it should be used...

More than anything else, language is what makes us human. Linguistics, the discipline which studies the structure, function, and phenomena of lanuage, has uncovered many surprising and fascinating things about...

This classic book is a straightforward introduction to linguistics which attempts to answer two fundamental questions: 'What is language?' and 'How does language work?' It outlines the scope of linguistics,...

douard Glissant's most celebrated, scintillating philosophical work - which sets out a new poetic vision for the world 'We cry our cry of poetry. Our boats are open, and we...

Conventionally, a cockney is anyone born 'within the sound of Bow Bells' (St Mary-le-Bow church, in London), but rather than fixating on Dirty Den from Eastenders, Dickensian villains or Pearly...

Looking for an easy-to-use guide to English grammar? This handy introduction covers all the basics of the subject, using a simple and straightforward style. Students will find the book's step-by-step...

Language is a sophisticated tool which we use to communicate in a multitude of ways. Updated and expanded in its second edition, this book introduces language and linguistics - presenting...

You won't find 'terraglossia' on Google, or in a dictionary. It's a word coined by acclaimed academic and award-winning author Dr Debra Dank in response to the first Europeans' description...

This is a look into the classical world and how the myths and legends of the Greeks and Romans have influenced our language and continue to do so. The book...

'Delightful' Steven Pinker 'A joy to read' David Crystal Swamp or bog? Guilt or shame? Poisonous or venomous? We pick from a wealth of words to express ourselves each day,...