To Be or Not: An E-Prime Anthology

by D. David Jr.; Johnstone Bourland

Examine the verbs of the "to be" family and you will find a startling underlying assumption. The words be, been, is, was, am, were, etc., have their logical basis in the idea that things stay the same. The notion of identity — a thing's absolute sameness with a similar thing or with itself over time — has confused and corrupted thinking since the days of Aristotle. Life means growth, learning, metamorphosis, decay. Even the apparently changeless earth changes, as moving plates push up mountains or split continents apart. Today we often experience rapid social and technological change. Yet our daily language has at its foundation the assumption that things don't change, an assumption that helps us focus and therefore "understand," but also leads us astray when we act as if things haven't changed, and they have. How can we deal with this "two-edged sword" that both helps and hinders us in our daily lives?

E-Prime, a new variant of English that eliminates the verbs of the "to be" family, makes us aware of the problem, and offers one solution.

Some of the lively, concise writing and speaking; clearer, more critical thinking; better communication, evaluation and decision-making.

Genres: Psychology, Language

Paperback

First published October 1, 1991

Reviews

[Jon-david Mafia Hairdresser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't know how many people follow "new thought" or Buddhism, but this is a great book. By looking at our language, that we speak and write, we are able to take out the "fighting words." We can take out putting people on the defensive. We can stop wars!

To take out the "to be" is to be great at two-way communication.

[Herm · Rating 5 out of 5]

A guide to reducing the constrictions of the Sapir–Whorf hypothesis.

The blurb on the back of the book puts it succinctly:
Some of the benefits: lively, concise writing and speaking; clearer, more critical thinking; better communication, evaluation, and decision making. In E-Prime, you can't say "I am," and this results in a different and healthier way of evaluating yourself and others. The use of E-Prime can transform how you relate to the world and to yourself-for the better!