Gobsmacked!

Gobsmacked!
Author :
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Total Pages : 288
Release :
ISBN-10 : 9780691262307
ISBN-13 : 0691262306
Rating : 4/5 (07 Downloads)

Book Synopsis Gobsmacked! by : Ben Yagoda

Download or read book Gobsmacked! written by Ben Yagoda and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2024-09-24 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A spot-on guide to how and why Americans have become so bloody keen on Britishisms—for good or ill The British love to complain that words and phrases imported from America—from French fries to Awesome, man!—are destroying the English language. But what about the influence going the other way? Britishisms have been making their way into the American lexicon for more than 150 years, but the process has accelerated since the turn of the twenty-first century. From acclaimed writer and language commentator Ben Yagoda, Gobsmacked! is a witty, entertaining, and enlightening account of how and why scores of British words and phrases—such as one-off, go missing, curate, early days, kerfuffle, easy peasy, and cheeky—have been enthusiastically taken up by Yanks. After tracing Britishisms that entered the American vocabulary in the nineteenth century and during the world wars, Gobsmacked! discusses the most-used British terms in America today. It features chapters on the American embrace of British insults and curses, sports terms, and words about food and drinks. The book also explores the American adoption of British spellings, pronunciations, and grammar, and cases where Americans have misconstrued British expressions (for example, changing can’t be arsed to can’t be asked) or adopted faux-British usages, like pronouncing divisive as “divissive.” Finally, the book offers some guidance on just how many Britishisms an American can safely adopt without coming off like an arse. Rigorously researched and documented but written in a light, conversational style, this is a book that general readers and language obsessives will love. Its revealing account of a surprising and underrecognized language revolution might even leave them, well, gobsmacked.


Gobsmacked! Related Books

I'm Going to the Doctor
Language: en
Pages: 30
Authors: Teri Case
Categories:
Type: BOOK - Published: 2016-12-17 - Publisher:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

One of Kathie Lee Gifford's Favorite Things on TODAY. Join Andy on an adventure as he falls into a deep sleep, dreaming he visits different kinds of doctors to
The Reckless Oath We Made
Language: en
Pages: 466
Authors: Bryn Greenwood
Categories: Fiction
Type: BOOK - Published: 2020-08-25 - Publisher: Penguin

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A new provocative love story from the New York Times bestselling author of All the Ugly and Wonderful Things. “The story of Zee and Gentry is the reason we re
Gobsmacking Galaxy
Language: en
Pages: 160
Authors: Kjartan Poskitt
Categories: Cosmology
Type: BOOK - Published: 2009 - Publisher:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This gobsmacking guide provides mind-boggling information about our galaxy and beyond. Readers can embark on a grand tour of the solar system, go skiing on Mars
That's Not English
Language: en
Pages: 242
Authors: Erin Moore
Categories: Language Arts & Disciplines
Type: BOOK - Published: 2015-03-24 - Publisher: Penguin

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

An expat’s witty and insightful exploration of English and American cultural differences through the lens of language that will leave readers gobsmacked In Th
A Word A Day
Language: en
Pages: 235
Authors: Anu Garg
Categories: Reference
Type: BOOK - Published: 2010-12-21 - Publisher: Turner Publishing Company

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"Anu Garg's many readers await their A Word A Day rations hungrily. Now at last here's a feast for them and other verbivores. Eat up!" -Barbara Wallraff Senior