{"product_id":"the-prodigal-tongue-lynne-murphy-9780143131106","title":"The Prodigal Tongue: The Love-Hate Relationship Between American and British English","description":"\u003cb\u003eCHOSEN BY \u003ci\u003eTHE ECONOMIST \u003c\/i\u003eAS A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eAn American linguist teaching in England explores the sibling rivalry between British and American English \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e \"English accents are the sexiest.\"\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e \"Americans have ruined the English language.\" \u003c\/i\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Such claims about the English language are often repeated but rarely examined. Professor Lynne Murphy is on the linguistic front line. In \u003ci\u003eThe Prodigal Tongue\u003c\/i\u003e she explores the fiction and reality of the special relationship between British and American English. By examining the causes and symptoms of American Verbal Inferiority Complex and its flipside, British Verbal Superiority Complex, Murphy unravels the prejudices, stereotypes and insecurities that shape our attitudes to our own language. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e With great humo(u)r and new insights, Lynne Murphy looks at the social, political and linguistic forces that have driven American and British English in different directions: how Americans got from \u003ci\u003ecentre\u003c\/i\u003e to \u003ci\u003ecenter\u003c\/i\u003e, why British accents are growing away from American ones, and what different things we mean when we say estate, frown, or middle class. Is anyone winning this war of the words? Will Yanks and Brits ever really understand each other?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Lynne Murphy\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0143131109\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780143131106\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Penguin Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 04\/10\/2018\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 368\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.65lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.30h x 5.40w x 0.90d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003c\/i\u003e 01\/29\/2018\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 02\/15\/2018\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal\u003c\/i\u003e 04\/01\/2018 pg. 73","brand":"Lynne Murphy","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":44045616873727,"sku":"9780143131106","price":17.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_54ddc3a5-49e2-4f2b-b61d-75efe39dbdb5.jpg?v=1684979741","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-prodigal-tongue-lynne-murphy-9780143131106","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}