View Content #4920
| Contentid | 4920 |
|---|---|
| Content Type | 1 |
| Title | Book Review: Bad English |
| Body | From http://linguistlist.org/issues/17/17-2210.html#1 AUTHOR: Battistella, Edwin L. TITLE: Bad Language PUBLISHER: Oxford University Press YEAR: 2005 REVIEWER: Simo K. Määttä, Department of Languages and Translation Studies, University of Tampere, Finland This book provides an overview of the history and current issues related to ''Bad English,'' i.e., the complex question of whether certain varieties and usages of the English language are inherently bad. The author adopts a ''realist position'' which acknowledges the importance of standard language as the basis of the social history of English and emphasizes the fact that educated people should understand this history, including the relations between dialects, styles, and different languages. This position also stresses the undeniable value of language norms and traditions while at the same time acknowledging the role played by variation and innovation in the evolution of language. The starting point is the fact that ''badness'' in language is a phenomenon much more complex than generally admitted; the core of the realist position resides in the understanding of the role of linguistic variation and the constructed nature of the standard (21-22). Indeed, the realist position is aimed at occupying the space between the descriptive (notably linguistics) and prescriptive viewpoints (9, 20). Bad Language focuses on American English and the linguistic situation of the United States (indeed, Bad English might have been a more appropriate title for international distribution). It explains concepts difficult to grasp in plain yet sophisticated language and with numerous examples; in addition, the phenomena under scrutiny are discussed not only in terms of the current state of the arts but also with a detailed, documented historical overview. The book thus provides valuable insights for scholars and laypersons alike. Read the complete review at http://linguistlist.org/issues/17/17-2210.html#1 . |
| Source | LINGUIST List |
| Inputdate | 2006-08-09 12:57:00 |
| Lastmodifieddate | 2006-08-09 12:57:00 |
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| Publishdate | 2006-08-14 00:00:00 |
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