This study examines the way in which the identity of foreign workers and foreign writers in Germany is negotiated on the basis of language use and literary activity. The book presents an in-depth look at the history of immigration to Germany since the turn of the century and a description of the social situation of foreigners living there at the dawn of the twenty-first century. It emphasizes the variable nature of the German used by foreign workers in the Federal Republic and documents changes that have occurred in the field of Gastarbeiterlinguistik, in particular the shift of focus away from universal features to interpersonal aspects of foreigner-native communication. Foreign worker German is neither pidgin nor creole but rather a range of lects, some of which are fossilized at a very low level, others of which progress toward the standard dialect. The work concludes with a selective history of foreign worker literature, which emphasizes the parallels between linguistic and literary development in the immigrant community.

This book offers a comprehensive overview of the syntactic variation of the dialects of Spanish. More precisely, it covers Spanish theoretical syntax that takes as its data source non-standard grammatical phenomena. Approaching the syntactic variation of Spanish dialects opens a door not only to the intricacies of the language, but also to a set of challenges of linguistic theory itself, including language variation, language contact, bilingualism, and diglossia. The volume is divided into two main sections, the first focusing on Iberian Spanish and the second on Latin American Spanish. Chapters cover a wide range of syntactic constructions and phenomena, such as clitics, agreement, subordination, differential object marking, expletives, predication, doubling, word order, and subjects. This volume constitutes a milestone in the study of syntactic variation, setting the stage for future work not only in vernacular Spanish, but all languages.

This book was first published in 1925 and was intended to be a dictionary of first world war slang. In the 1920s, "the war to end all wars" was still fresh in everyone's minds and the authors were commissioned to capture the combatants' sayings and expressions. Interestingly, although written nearly fifteen years before the next global conflict, the term "first world war" appears. Colonel Repington named his published history of the war as such. He did not want to flatter "the Boche" by calling it the "German War" so instead chose what became the prescient or perhaps pessimistic "first world war". This book was primarily designed as a Dictionary of War Slang at the instance of the authorities of the Imperial War Museum, using materials contributed by officers and men of all branches of the Service who had served with the British and Dominion forces. A large proportion of the slang of the war, however, comprised old pre-War Army and Navy expressions, which, in the War, were either adopted as they stood, so to speak, or else were altered and adapted to suit existing circumstances, and the enlargement of the original plan became unavoidable. The scope of the work has also been further extended to include a considerable number of Service terms, familiar among people in general, as being of interest in themselves or through their origins. A number of American service words and expressions, particularly some that became familiar among British troops during the war, have been included.

This book, by a group of leading international scholars, outlines the history of the spoken dialects of Arabic from the Arab Conquests of the seventh century up to the present day. It specifically investigates the evolution of Arabic as a spoken language, in contrast to the many existing studies that focus on written Classical or Modern Standard Arabic. The volume begins with a discursive introduction that deals with important issues in the general scholarly context, including the indigenous myth and probable reality of the history of Arabic; Arabic dialect geography and typology; types of internally and externally motivated linguistic change; social indexicalisation; and pidginization and creolization in Arabic-speaking communities. Most chapters then focus on developments in a specific region - Mauritania, the Maghreb, Egypt, the Levant, the Northern Fertile Crescent, the Gulf, and South Arabia - with one exploring Judaeo-Arabic, a group of varieties historically spread over a wider area. The remaining two chapters in the volume examine individual linguistic features of particular historical interest and controversy, specifically the origin and evolution of the b- verbal prefix, and the adnominal linker -an/-in. The volume will be of interest to scholars and students of the linguistic and social history of Arabic as well as to comparative linguists interested in topics such as linguistic typology and language change.

Heller and McElhinny reinterpret sociolinguistics for the twenty-first century with an original approach to the study of language that is situated in the political and economic contexts of colonialism and capitalism. In the process, they map out a critical history of how language serves, and has served, as a terrain for producing and reproducing social inequalities. The authors ask how, and by whom, ideas about language get unevenly shaped, offering new perspectives that will excite readers and incite further research for years to come.

The colour coded verb table allows the reader to focus all of their attention on one colour tense at a time enabling them to make immediate connections between the subject and the verb! The Valencian LearnBots are a great resource for dyslexic learners, children and adult learners. Children can start to identify what a verb is and the way it changes with the subject of the sentence. Advanced learners can go on to learn the different tenses and improve their accuracy. This book also works along-side its very own kick-starter app on Googles Android and Apples App Store allowing the user the ability to hear some of the conjugations being read out loud by a native speaker. The app also allows the user to test their ability in remembering verbs and conjugations.

Careful writers and speakers agree that cliches are generally to be avoided. However, nearly all of us continue to use them. Why do they persist in our language? In It's Been Said Before, lexicographer Orin Hargraves examines the peculiar idea and power of the cliche. He helps readers understand why certain phrases became cliches and why they should be avoided - or why they still have life left in them. Indeed, cliches can be useful - even powerful. And few people even agree on which expressions are cliches and which are not. Many regard any frequent idiom as a cliche, and a phrase regarded as a cliche in one context may be seen simply as an effective expression in another. Examples drawn from data about actual usage support Hargraves' identification of true cliches. They also illuminate his commentary on usage problems and helpful suggestions for eliminating cliches where they serve no useful purpose. Concise and lively, It's Been Said Before serves as a guide to the most overused phrases in the English language - and to phrases that are used exactly as often as they should be.

Kaaps as Afrikaanse omgangsvarieteit word deur verskillende outeurs vanuit diverse invalshoeke betrag. Die boek beslaan nege hoofstukke in twee afdelings wat onderskeidelike die taalkundigheid en die kontekstuele gebruike van Kaaps bekyk. Dis gebaseer op referate wat gelewer is by die eerste simposium oor Kaaps in 2012. Kaaps word in die boek voorgehou as ’n waardige, talig genuanseerde en lewenskragtige vorm van Afrikaans. Die ekonomiese potensiaal van Kaaps en die benutting daarvan as onderwys- en joernalistieke medium word ook bespreek.

Slang, however one judges it, shows us at our most human. It is used widely and often, typically associated with the writers of noir fiction, teenagers, and rappers, but also found in the works of Shakespeare and Dickens. It has been recorded since at least 1500 AD, and today's vocabulary, taken from every major English-speaking country, runs to over 125,000 slang words and phrases. This Very Short Introduction takes readers on a wide-ranging tour of this fascinating sub-set of the English language. It considers the meaning and origins of the word 'slang' itself, the ideas that a make a word 'slang', the long-running themes that run through slang, and the history of slang's many dictionaries. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

If you believe idioms are a "tough nut to crack," this Dictionary of Idioms will help you dispel that belief; you would surely abandon your opinion of idioms being a bunch of insignificant words to that of a lively one to use to attract attention of readers and listeners. You will discover 'idioms' can add beauty, remove unwanted seriousness and bring life to any conversation - written or spoken. Rightly and scientifically designed, this dictionary contains hundreds of common idioms, sayings, and expressions. Use of everyday idioms bring colour to any writing and speech. Since they don't really mean, word by word, what they say, idioms can stump even regular writers and speakers. When and where to uidioms becomes 'as easy as pie' with this Dictionary of Idioms. Alphabetical listing makes searching idioms a 'piece of cake.' Whether you are fluent in English or just a learner, this dictionary can help you read, write and speak with new understanding and a lot more fun! Special features: o Widely used and popular idioms given with meanings o Inclusion of foreign idioms currently in use in English language o Arranged Alphabetically: A - Z o Useful grammatical information given as Appendices An authoritative dictionary to spice up written and oral communication for students, writers, speakers and interested readers!

Tradition, community, and pride are fundamental aspects of the history of Appalachia, and the language of the region is a living testament to its rich heritage. Despite the persistence of unflattering stereotypes and cultural discrimination associated with their style of speech, Appalachians have organized to preserve regional dialects -- complex forms of English peppered with words, phrases, and pronunciations unique to the area and its people. Talking Appalachian examines these distinctive speech varieties and emphasizes their role in expressing local history and promoting a shared identity.

Beginning with a historical and geographical overview of the region that analyzes the origins of its dialects, this volume features detailed research and local case studies investigating their use. The contributors explore a variety of subjects, including the success of African American Appalachian English and southern Appalachian English speakers in professional and corporate positions. In addition, editors Amy D. Clark and Nancy M. Hayward provide excerpts from essays, poetry, short fiction, and novels to illustrate usage. With contributions from well-known authors such as George Ella Lyon and Silas House, this balanced collection is the most comprehensive, accessible study of Appalachian language available today.

Shape up your English with thousands of idioms.

Whether you are a learner of English who is having difficulty understanding expressions in everyday speech or a native speaker who wants to expand your written or spoken range, you need a comprehensive reference for idioms, common phrases, and sayings of American English. "McGraw-Hill's American Idioms Dictionary" shows you the ropes of English and helps you: . . Expand your English-speaking abilities with these 14,000-plus expressions, proverbs, and common sayings, listed alphabetically . Use American idioms correctly by following the many helpful examples . Easily find the right phrase by one of its key words . . .

Some examples of the colorful English language, as spoken by Americans: .

at peace relaxed and happy
. every trick in the book every deceptive method known
. Johnny-on-the-spot someone who is in the right place at the right time
. make a killing to have a great success, especially in making money
. nine-to-five job a job with normal daytime hours
. scream bloody murder to complain bitterly
. take a powder to leave; to leave town

Ebonics Is Good is a humble response to the clarion call by Mwalimu Carter G. Woodson, Mwalimu Frantz Fanon, and Mwalimu Malcolm X, among others, to address our African language question. As all of these great Africans and others have shown throughout history, it behooves us to counter the assumption of the ill-informed that Ebonics is bad by demonstrating that it is a GOOD language and worthy of respect. Ebonics Is Good explores the following topics: Linguistic Reality of African American English Sociolinguistics of African American English Politico-Sociolinguistic Reality of African American English Social Construction of Ebonics: A Fasoldian Perspective The Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) Initiative Linguistic Connections between the African, Jamaican and Negro National Anthems

GET D!RTY
Next time you're traveling or just chattin' in German with your friends, drop the textbook formality and bust out with expressions they never teach you in school, including:
-Cool slang
-Funny insults
-Explicit sex terms
-Raw swear words
"Dirty German" teaches the casual expressions heard every day on the streets of Germany:

-What's up?
Wie geht's?
-I'm smashed.
Ich bin total angeschickert.
-Fuckin' Munich fans.
Schei Munchen Fans.
-That shit reeks.
Das riecht aber ubel.

-I wanna shag ass.
Ich will abhauen.
-What a complete asshole.
Was fur ein Arschloch.
-Dude, you're built like Arnold!
Mensch, du bist der Arnie!

The ten essays in ""The Crucible of Carolina"" explore the connections between the language and culture of South Carolina's barrier islands, West Africa, the Caribbean, and England. Decades before any formal, scholarly interest in South Carolina barrier life, outsiders had been commenting on and documenting the ""African"" qualities of the region's black inhabitants. These qualities have long been manifest in their language, religious practices, music, and material culture.

GET D!RTY
Next time you're traveling or just chattin' in French with your friends, drop the textbook formality and bust out with expressions they never teach you in school, including:
-Cool slang
-Funny insults
-Explicit sex terms
-Raw swear words
"Dirty French" teaches the casual expressions heard every day on the streets of France:
-What's up?
ca va?
-He's totally hot.
Il est un gravure de mode.
-That brie smells funky.
Ce brie sent putain de drole.
-I'm gonna get ripped!
Je vais me fracasser!
-I gotta piss.
Je dois pisser.
-The ref is fucking asshole.
L'arbitre est un gros enaele!
-Wanna try doggy-style?
Veux-tu faire l'amour en levrette?

In this volume Cleanth Brooks pays tribute to the language and literature of the American South. He writes of the language's unique syntax and its celebrated languorous rhythms; of the classical allusions and Addisonian locutions once favored by the gentry; and of the more earthbound eloquence, rooted in the dialect of England's southern lowlands, that is still heard in the speech of the region's plain folk. It is this rich spoken language, Brooks suggests, that has always been the life blood of southern writing. The strong tradition of storytelling in the South is reflected in the tales told by Joel Chandler Harris's Uncle Remus and in the obsessive retellings that structure William Faulkner's novels and stories. But even more crucially, the language of the South????????????????????????????????????????????????firmly rooted in the land but with a tendency to reach for the heavens above????????????????????????????????????????????????has shaped the literary concerns and molded the complex visions to be found in the poetry of Robert Penn Warren and John Crowe Ransom; the stories of Flannery O'Connor, Peter Taylor, and Eudora Welty; and the novels of Warren, Allen Tate, and Walker Percy.

First published in 1961, Jamaica Talk is a thorough study of the English spoken in Jamaica and, although intended for the general educated reader rather than the linguistic specialist, has a foundation of sound scholarship, which makes it an authoritative classic. The late Professor Cassidy was born and reared in Jamaica and collected most of the material for his book when he was attached to the University College of the West Indies as Fulbright research fellow. There are chapters on the composition of "Jamaica talk," on pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary. The book is an invaluable reference in all institutions that have language departments, and as a handbook for Jamaicans and for interested visitors to the island.

Bislama is the national language of Vanuatu, the world's most linguistically diverse nation with at least 80 actively spoken Oceanic languages used by about 200,000 people. Bislama began as a plantation pidgin based on English in the nineteenth century, but it has since developed into a unique language with a grammar and vocabulary very different from English. It is one of very few national languages for which there is no readily available reference grammar. This book aims to fill this gap by providing an extensive account of the grammar of Bislama as it is used by ordinary Ni-Vanuatu. It does not, therefore, aim to describe any kind of artificial written norm but sets out to capture a range of different kinds of ways that Ni-Vanuatu will say things in various contexts, both written and spoken, formal and informal. The thrust of this volume is to show that Bislama has a grammar - an unfamiliar concept for those educated in Vanuatu. It also shows that Bislama is a language of considerable complexity, which will come as a surprise to many of its users, who have been taught to view their language as somehow ""simple"" and even ""deficient.

Professor Robert Le Page was a pioneer in the field of English and Creole linguistics in the Caribbean. This collection of papers in honour of Le Page addresses a variety of topics in the field, pointing out the ways in which Le Page and his work have influenced, stimulated or been ignored by others.

This is the first book on Caribbean language studies to include original sections on language in education, speakers' behaviour in informal discourse and language structure. Based on sound linguistic scholarship, the thirteen chapters are organized in three sections: Pedagogical/Sociological; Structure; and Discourse.

Caribbean linguists have long been concerned that the findings of scholars in this field have been inaccessible to teachers and others interested in linguistics in the Caribbean. This book is geared for a wide audience, including school teachers, university students and teachers of linguistics in the Caribbean and the USA, and researchers on Creole languages.

Though there is a contingent of linguists who fight the fact, our language is always changing--not only through slang, but sound, syntax, and words' meanings as well. Debunking the myth of "pure" standard English, tackling controversial positions, and eschewing politically correct arguments, linguist John McWhorter considers speech patterns and regional accents to demonstrate just how the changes do occur. Wielding reason and humor, McWhorter ultimately explains why we must embrace these changes, ultimately revealing our American English in all its variety, expressiveness, and power.

This provocative volume investigates the origins of contemporary African American Vernacular English (AAVE), one of the oldest, yet unsolved, questions in sociolinguistics.

Exploring the hypothesis that contemporary AAVE is a direct descendant of colonial British English rather than of a widespread Creole precursor, this volume presents a comprehensive analysis of tense and aspect as manifested in recorded conversations with 101 former slaves and their descendants. The study is staged in three distinct "diaspora" enclaves in Canada and the Caribbean, whose language has evolved independently of AAVE, modern Creoles and neighboring speech varieties.

Advanced quantitative methodology, combined with linguistically precise analyses of English dialects in historical context, make this an essential text for researchers and students of linguistics, the history of English and African American Studies.