THE SECRET LIFE OF WORDS by Henry Hitchings

THE SECRET LIFE OF WORDS: How English Became English by Henry Hitchings wins the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize

About the Book :

Communication is essential to our lives, but how often do we stop to think about where the words we use have come from? Have you ever thought about which words in English have been borrowed from Arabic, French or Dutch? Try admiral, landscape and marmalade just for starters. The Secret Life of Words is a wide-ranging account not only of the history of English, but also of how words witness history, reflect social change and remind us of our turbulent past. Henry Hitchings delves into our promiscuous language and reveals how and why it has absorbed words from more than 350 other languages many originating from the most unlikely of places, such as shampoo from Hindi and kiosk from Turkish. From the Norman Conquest to the present day, Hitchings narrates the story of English as an archive of our human experience and uncovers the secrets behind everyday words. This is a celebration of our language; after reading it, you will never again take the words we use for granted.

About the Author

Henry Hitchings (born 11 December 1974) is an author, reviewer and critic, specializing in narrative non-fiction, with a particular emphasis on language and cultural history. His book The Secret Life of Words: How English Became English won the 2008 John Llewellyn Rhys Prize.

In November 2008 The Secret Life of Words won the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize, the first work of non-fiction to do so for six years. The chair of the judges, Henry Sutton, described it as "a landmark, 'vast' in scope and 'written with an unnerving precision, clarity and grace'," adding "amazingly accessible, it's written with great grace and enthusiasm and humour, and is also a scholarly work."[13] The shortlist had also included the winner of the 2008 Booker Prize, The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga.[14]

ISBN-13 9780719564543

Publisher : Hodder – John Murray/Hachette India

Number of pages 448

Format : Hardback

Category : Reference - Language

Cover Price : 16.99

Axis Selling Price : Rs 850 (in stock)

Trade Paperback due in April 2009