A MOUTHFUL OF AIR: Language, Languages. Especially English

A survey of language describes how it reached its present state, how it operates, and how it will develop in the future, discussing such topics as Shakespeare's pronunciation, low-life language, and English's place in the world. 30,000 first printing. $25,000 ad/promo.

Burgess, who invented a teenspeak for the gangs in his novel A Clockwork Orange, infects readers with his love of words in a delightful, wittily urbane romp through the world's languages, in particular "volatile and hospitable" English. This is several books in one: a painless primer on linguistics; a survey of tongues from Albanian to Welsh (spoken by King Arthur, a Romanized Celt); the story of alphabets and of language's evolution from prehistoric Indo-European to words like quark ; an exploration of how English became rich and flexible as Old English was transformed into what is spoken and written today. Chapters cover slang and taboo words, great dictionary makers, poetry, the Bible, film dubbing, how Shakespeare spoke his lines. Burgess also offers tips for learning foreign languages and suggestions for secondary-school English teachers. A Mouthful incorporates much of Language Made Plain , published some 30 years ago, but it contains a wealth of new material.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Burgess has demonstrated his passion for language in his fiction, his essays and reviews, and his multivolumed autobiography (You've Had Your Time, 1991, etc.)--but now, at age 76, he explains it, sharing in this personable yet encyclopedic survey his intimate and extensive knowledge of the ``miracle'' of it. The author--whose pedagogic career began with teaching illiterate WW I British soldiers to read--argues convincingly that we should all study linguistics, an often dry field that he animates here through rich imagination and vivid style. The title, from a Yeats poem, suggests an ironic dimension, but the material, far from tongue-in-cheek, includes a history of linguistics from Saussure to Chomsky; a consideration of the parts of speech and grammar in several languages; as well as discussions of the physiology of speech (``the buzzes, hisses, and bangs''), the history of the alphabet, and peculiarities of spelling and punctuation. Burgess pauses to consider meaning, context, semantics, and the value of learning many languages, ancient as well as modern, before moving on to an epic survey of families of languages and how they developed and are related, as well as a history of English itself, which he finds ``volatile,'' ``hospitable,'' and ``maternal.'' He introduces Russian and Japanese, savoring the prospect of learning them, and tours English dialects--from the ``Received Thespian'' of Shakespeare to dialects of America, Australia, South Africa, Scotland, and ``closed'' groups (feminists, blacks, gays). Slang and euphemism, the ambiguities and instability of language, and the consensual nature of dictionary definitions also come under his gaze. If the role of literature, as Burgess says, is to challenge the commonplace uses of words--to use language inventively and to exploit it aesthetically--then this remarkable book is a rare contribution to the literature of language: a love affair explained and shared. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Burgess has written a fascinating study of language. His wide knowledge of languages, music, and literature and his ability to explain the most difficult concepts make this an engrossing book. In the first section, Burgess discusses languages in general, paying special attention to grammar and phonetics. The second section is devoted to the English language. Burgess's discussion of the Celtic languages and Shakespeare's pronunciation are excellent brief summaries, and his understanding of grammar and phonetics is the key to his explanations of the change and development of English. He compares various languages and shows the differences and similarities of structure and content. Demonstrating a sound historic knowledge of English, he explains many of the difficultaspects of the language while providing interesting comments about Creole languages, slang, black English, and language education. Highly recommended. Previewed in Prepub Alert, LJ 4/15/93.
- Gene Shaw, NYPL
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.