The People's Tongue: Americans and the English Language

A diverse collection of letters, poems, memoirs, jeremiads, stories, songs, documents, and more, from Sojourner Truth and Abraham Lincoln to Henry Roth and Zora Neale Hurston, explores the diversity, strangeness, and power of American English. Edited by Ilan Stavans, it offers a chronologically organized banquet of evidence of verbal mutation, including Ebonics, Yinglish, Spanglish, and sci-fi inventions.

Format: Hardback
Length: 512 pages
Publication date: 30 March 2023
Publisher: Restless Books

A captivating and unique anthology showcasing the immense diversity, peculiarity, and profound influence of American English, this compilation features an array of letters, poems, memoirs, jeremiads, stories, songs, documents, and more, sourced from a diverse range of notable figures such as Sojourner Truth, Abraham Lincoln, Henry Roth, Zora Neale Hurston, George Carlin, James Baldwin, Richard Rodríguez, Amy Tan, Tony Kushner, Toni Morrison, Louise Erdrich, and Donald Trump. This volume serves as a captivating portrayal of the evolution of English in the United States, narrated by the individuals who have shaped and transformed it. From activists and teachers to immigrants and journalists, nurses and poets, astronauts and dictionary makers, actors and musicians, playwrights and preachers, Supreme Court Justices and rappers, translators and singers, children's book authors and scientists, politicians and foreigners, students and homemakers, lexicographers and scholars, newspaper columnists and TV personalities, senators and novelists, technology innovators, and a multitude of enthusiasts, this anthology offers a diverse and captivating perspective on the language.

The overarching objective of this endeavor is to delve into the intricate journey of an imperial language like English, with Germanic roots, whose proliferation emerged as a consequence of the Norman conquest, and how it seamlessly became an integral part of the world's first and most influential democratic experiment. Under the editorial guidance of internationally renowned cultural commentator and consultant for the OED, Ilan Stavans, the book is meticulously organized chronologically, presenting a rich feast of letters, poems, autobiographical reflections, op-eds, dictionary entries, stories, songs, legislative documents, and various forms of verbal mutation. It explores the realm of Ebonics, as well as the emergence of linguistic concoctions such as Yinglish, Spanglish, and sci-fi inventions.

The Peoples Tongue unfolds in a manner that delves not only into the what but also into the how. It begins with excerpts from the English used by the settlers in Plymouth Colony and concludes with President Donald Trump's tweets. Throughout its pages, the story unfolds in a captivating and instructive manner, shedding light on the evolution and transformation of American English over centuries. This anthology serves as a valuable resource for scholars, language enthusiasts, and anyone interested in understanding the rich tapestry of language and culture in the United States.

Weight: 840g
Dimension: 236 x 164 x 38 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781632062659