Her Ladyship's Guide to Greeting the Queen


Book Description

Choosing how to behave in unfamiliar situations is one of the many minefields with which modern life abounds. In this amusing yet practical guide to modern manners, Her Ladyship offers invaluable advice on every aspect of etiquette, both royal and everyday. With guidance on basic good manners in a range of situations, whether at home, at work or abroad, as well as advice on what to wear when, eating out and dating, you will never again worry about awkward or embarrassing encounters. If you've ever wondered how to meet and greet the Queen and other royals, how to correctly address party invitations or about elegant ways of sitting down, standing up and getting in and out of cars, this guide is for you.




Standardising English


Book Description

This path-breaking study of the standardisation of English goes well beyond the traditional prescriptivism versus descriptivism debate. It argues that the way norms are established and enforced is the result of a complex network of social factors and cannot be explained simply by appeals to power and hegemony. It brings together insights from leading researchers to re-centre the discussion on linguistic communities and language users. It examines the philosophy underlying the urge to standardise language, and takes a closer look at both well-known and lesser-known historical dictionaries, grammars and usage guides, demonstrating that they cannot be simply labelled as 'prescriptivist'. Drawing on rich empirical data and case studies, it shows how the norm continues to function in society, influencing and affecting language users even today.




English Usage Guides


Book Description

This volume explores both historical and current issues in English usage guides or style manuals. Chapters look at how and why these guides are compiled, and by whom; what sort of advice they contain; how they differ from grammars and dictionaries; and how attitudes to usage have changed.




The Routledge Handbook of Linguistic Prescriptivism


Book Description

This handbook provides a comprehensive and cutting-edge overview of the field of linguistic prescriptivism. Mapping the current status quo of the field and marking its two-decade transformation into a serious field of study within linguistics, this volume addresses both the value and the methods of studying prescriptivism. It covers: • Theoretical and methodological approaches – from historical to experimental approaches and including corpus-based methods and attitudes research; • Contexts in which prescriptive efforts can be both observed and studied – including in education, technology, the media, language planning and policies, and everyday grassroots practices; • Geographical contexts of prescriptivism – featuring chapters on inner- and outer-circle Englishes, English as a Lingua Franca, as well as prescriptivism in the context of other world languages including minority and endangered languages. With contributions from an international line-up of leading and rising-star scholars in the field, The Routledge Handbook of Linguistic Prescriptivism marks the evolution of linguistics as a fully self-aware discipline and will be an indispensable guide for students and researchers in this area.




SELF-MASTERY: 30 Best Books to Guide You To Your Goals


Book Description

SELF-MASTERY: 30 Best Books to Guide You To Your Goals encapsulates an astonishing range of literary genres, from philosophical treatises and self-help guides, to autobiographies and economic theories. This anthology stands out for its eclectic composition, inviting readers into a world where the pursuit of personal goals transcends the barriers of time and geography. The thematic cohesion among diverse literary stylesranging from the classical wisdom of Marcus Aurelius and Lao Tzu to the practical self-help approaches of P.T. Barnum and Wallace D. Wattlesdemonstrates the universal quest for self-improvement and the varied paths one can take to achieve it. The inclusion of distinct voices like Kahlil Gibran and Émile Coué emphasizes the collection's commitment to exploring the depth of human potential and resilience. The anthologys contributors come from varied backgrounds yet share a common goal: enlightening readers on the art of self-mastery. These authors, spanning centuries, have left indelible marks on their respective fieldsphilosophy, psychology, economics, and literaturecontributing to a rich tapestry of thought on self-empowerment. From the strategic political insights of Niccolò Machiavelli to the timeless spiritual wisdom of Lao Tzu, each voice adds a unique layer to the multifaceted exploration of personal achievement. The collection aligns with various historical and cultural movements, embodying Renaissance humanism, Enlightenment rationality, and Eastern philosophies, thereby offering a comprehensive study on self-mastery that transcends mere self-help. SELF-MASTERY: 30 Best Books to Guide You To Your Goals presents an unparalleled opportunity to engage with the minds of some of historys greatest thinkers and achievers. Readers are encouraged to delve into this collection not just for its inherent educational value but also for the profound insights into self-improvement and the fulfillment of personal aspirations. This anthology serves as a bridge between diverse periods and philosophies, fostering a dialogue that champions the enduring human pursuit of knowledge and personal growth. It is an essential companion for anyone committed to the lifelong journey of self-discovery and self-mastery.




Corpus Approaches to Contemporary British Speech


Book Description

Featuring contributions from an international team of leading and up-and-coming scholars, this innovative volume provides a comprehensive sociolinguistic picture of current spoken British English based on the Spoken BNC2014, a brand new corpus of British speech. The book begins with short introductions highlighting the state-of-the-art in three major areas of corpus-based sociolinguistics, while the remaining chapters feature rigorous analysis of the research outcomes of the project grounded in Spoken BNC2014 data samples, highlighting English used in everyday situations in the UK, with brief summaries reflecting on the sociolinguistic implications of this research included at the end of each chapter. This unique and robust dataset allows this team of researchers the unique opportunity to focus on speaker characteristics such as gender, age, dialect and socio-economic status, to examine a range of sociolinguistic dimensions, including grammar, pragmatics, and discourse, and to reflect on the major changes that have occurred in British society since the last corpus was compiled in the 1990s. This dynamic new contribution to the burgeoning field of corpus-based sociolinguistics is key reading for students and scholars in sociolinguistics, corpus linguistics, pragmatics, grammar, and British English.










Her Ladyship's Guide to the Queen's English


Book Description

Her Ladyship's guide to speaking and writing better English. Wherever you are, whatever the company, good English will always stand you in good stead. The world's most important language has a number of difficult areas and pitfalls, and almost all of us have some area to improve, whether it's how to spell 'millennium', how to pronounce 'schedule' the English way (as opposed to the American way), or find the correct word for the 'toilet' when talking to bishops and barons. Her Ladyship's Guide quickly takes you through the major problem areas. It covers: common mistakes in grammar (which will belie a lowly upbringing), common misspellings, commonly misused words, and the all-important choice of words and phrases to use in posh society with a pronunciation guide.




Describing Prescriptivism


Book Description

Describing Prescriptivism provides a topical and thought-provoking analysis of linguistic prescriptivism in British and American English, from a historical as well as present-day perspective. Focusing on usage guides and usage problems, the book takes a three-fold approach to present an in-depth analysis of the topic, featuring: a detailed study of the advice provided in usage guides over the years; an authoritative comparison of this advice with actual usage as recorded in British and American corpora, including the HUGE (Hyper Usage Guide of English) database – developed specifically to enable this line of study – as well as more mainstream corpora such as COCA, COHA and the BNC; a close analysis of the attitudes to particular usage problems among the general public, based on surveys distributed online through the "Bridging the Unbridgeable" research project’s blog.* With extensive case studies to illustrate and support claims throughout, this comprehensive study is key reading for students and researchers of prescriptivism, the history of English and sociolinguistics. *Found at https://bridgingtheunbridgeable.com/




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