The Gift of Tongues
by MARGARET SCHLAUCH
Demy %w I2s 6d net
An introduction for the layman to the whole broad subject of linguistics,
the science of language Curiously enough., only one small, specialized.,
and far from well-developed branch of this subject has of late been receiv-
ing much popular treatment—namely, "semantics," or the science of
meaning It is now found that foreign languages are more easily learned
by students who have had some elementary instruction in language in
general
Professor Schlauch has, however, aimed her book not only at the
prospective student of French or Chinese, but also at the general
reader who uses language only to speak it or to do cross-word puzzles,
and who would enjoy answers to such questions as What is grammar,
and Why? How did the English language evolve? Why can't most
foreigners pronounce English coirectly? How are alphabets made?
What language families are there? Do languages evolve according to
natural laws? Why have certain ^ords come to have their present
meaning, often the opposite of their original one? The author has,
moreover, given fresh, modern vitality to the subject by including
chapters on the language of modern poetry and the social and political
aspects of language An appendix supplements the illustrations given
m the text and supplies entertaining exercises for remembering better
what has been learned
Language: Its Nature, Development
and Origin
by OTTO JESPERSEN
Sixth Impression Demy %vo i6s net
"A delightful and fascinating book Professor Jespersen's English is
the English of a gentleman—only rather better Not many native dons
could turn out four hundred pages of English as humorous, lucid, and
as correct as these "—Daily Herald
"No pains have been spared and nothing seems to have been omitted.
The work will be an eye-opener to the student A book for every school
library "—The Schoolmaster
"Chief among Professor Jespersen's many qualities we would place
not his erudition, vast as it is, but the lively imagination with which he
plays upon the most unpromising of subjects and extracts from it its
maximum of human interest "—The Spectator