The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language

David Crystal impresses me with his combination of elegant erudition, intellectual open-mindedness, and conciseness. In writing this book, he imposed a harsh constraint upon his writing: every topic had to fit into a two-page spread. The result is insidiously like potato chips: it's such an easy read, you can't help but reading "just one more spread". The breadth of knowledge that he brings to bear on the subject is astounding; his bibiography reads like a catalog of Western intellectual history. Time and again, I found myself marking a point with a note to delve into the matter more deeply.Intellectual integrity is another impressive component of his writing. He cheerfully acknowledges difficult issues and treats linguistic variation with respect, yet never descends into cover-your-ass academic frippery. The effect is to provoke deeper contemplation in the mind of the reader; language truly is endlessly complex!A confession is in order here: I did find the last few score pages rather tedious. Perhaps it was merely the fatigue arising from my breathless rush through the first 400 pages; more likely the subject matter does not suit my tastes. But in a grand parade of ideas of this size, I cannot complain if a few floats or marching bands fail to excite me; there's more than enough here to keep anybody dazzled.The greatest tribute to this book that I can offer is the revelation that I have been too reluctant to shelve this book in my library; it remains on my desk, bedstand, or next to the computer, ready for a quick re-read of some random topic.Betcha can't read just one spread!

Crystal's _The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language_ is not really the type of book I would use for reference. There are much more appropriate books when I want to learn about the proper use of a gerund. This is, however, an absolutely fascinating and addictive book! It is the type of book I pick up to read and get so involved I lose track of time. It is also a beautiful book. The color, illustrations, and publishing quality are magnificent!The focus of this book is not American English. The flavor is cosmopolitan. Questions are answered like how the variations of English in New Zealand and the Caribbean affect road signs. If you ever wanted to know how morphological, lexical, syntactic, and discourse humor compare and contrast, this book is for you. This encyclopedia also features a brilliantly edited collection of poems interspersed in the pages. _The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language_ will remain one of my favorite books.

This is essentially a "twofer" review - everything I say about this book also applies to Crystal's "Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language."I fell in love with language long ago, so pounced on this book when it first appeared on my horizon several years ago. Since then, I have learned to keep it close by - it migrates from the coffee table to my night table to the bathroom to the breakfast table - I need it handy. I refer to it constantly, and often find myself opening it at random and immediately being hooked by whatever subject comes up. It's a tremendous compendium of easily accessible information on all aspects of the English language, and there are nuggets of value throughout. It is well-written in a lively, non-pedantic style, and has plenty of illustrations to reinforce understanding and make it more interesting. It's appropriate for most ages except very young children, and is a terrific way to introduce anyone to the wonders and mysteries of our language.The same remarks hold true for Crystal's "Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language." That work is presented in the same way, but with much a broader scope - it covers all aspects of human language. I like to browse in it and then get greater detail from the English Language book - they work very well together. I'm in awe of Crystal's ability to present such huge subjects so coherently and in such a comprehensive and fascinating way. I strongly recommend both books, for you or for anyone you care about.

As a graduate student in Linguistics, this book is a true gem. Especially wonderful is the history of every letter of the English alphabet