The Queen's English: And How to Use It

by Bernard C. Lamb

What is good English, and why do we need it? "The Queen's English" shows how the English language, used properly, has great power to instruct, move and entertain people, but used incorrectly, can lead to a lack of clarity and confusion. This book informs in a light-hearted way, reminding readers how to use the basics of grammar, punctuation and spelling, as well as further teaching them new tips and tricks of style, rhetoric and vocabulary. The book also shows the perils of using language incorrectly, offering extremely (if unintentionally) humorous examples of where bad English can cause one thing to mean something entirely different!

Genres: Nonfiction, Language, Reference, Unfinished, Writing

257 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 9, 2010

Reviews

[Cathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started this book a few years ago, put it down and forgot about it. I just read The Story of Human Language by John McWhorter and decided to give Queen‘s English another chance. By chapter two it was very clear to me that these are two very different books.

McWhorter is all about the development of language. It‘s about natural changes and not at all judgemental. It’s a very organic reading experience.

Lamb on the other hand is about the proper use of a very static language. It’s a reference book of English grammar, albeit not a comprehensive one. I had expected more. Besides being disappointed in the very narrow scope of this book, its patronizing tone put me off. A lot.

I use ‘low English’ to describe such bad English. It is ungrammatical, badly pronounced and poorly enunciated, with a severely restricted vocabulary, and usually laden with swear words. It suggests that its users are coarse, uneducated and unintelligent.

I give you three more adjectives: rude, pompous and presumptuous.

Besides being jarred by the tone of the book repeatedly, I did learn a few new facts (or was reminded thereof?). For example:

„Adjectives can cause ambiguity when followed by more than one noun. Consider the brown bird’s nest or the black cab driver. Is it the nest or the bird which is brown, or the cab or the driver which is black? We can use hyphens to resolve the ambiguity: the brown bird’s-nest or the brown-bird’s nest; the black-cab driver or the black cab-driver.

(chapter 10)

I much more enjoyed McWhorter lectures on the development of language. For a reminder of the grammar of British English I would have preferred a more comprehensive and objective approach.

The grammar rules presented in this book were informative. The writing style and tone, as mentioned, rubbed me the wrong way. The author sounded patronizing and judgemental. Don‘t get me started on the childish sketches. Additionally the book has aged badly. Or possibly felt old already, when it was published in 2011.

Content: 3 stars
Presentation: 2 stars
Total: 2.5, rounded down because I feel irritated.

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

A smidgen stiff, but excelling in clarity and thoroughness. Anyone who wants to stop making elementary mistakes due to their vocabulary being well beyond their spelling and grammar should read this.

I'd be a little bit more relaxed. But it's not only good to know what you're relaxed from, it's good to be consistent in your standard.

Loved it.

Favourite part: the emphasis on learning how to play intelligently with the language.

[Naliza Fahro-Rozi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very handy book for non-native English speakers!

[Peter O'Brien · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The term 'the Queen's English' dates back to 1592, in the time of Queen Elizabeth I, but using the Queen's English is not the prerogative of royalty or any class, group, region or country. The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as: 'the English Language as regarded as under the guardianship of the Queen; hence, standard or correct English.' This book is a guide to using it well purposefully; it is a practical manual, not a complicated treatise on linguistics."

Pretty solid guide on the correct usage of the language and very good at highlighting where common errors arise.

Finally finished reading it after having it sit on my bookshelf for the past eleven years!

[Erika]

My brief experience with the book went like this:
*walks into a bookstore*
*sees a cute corgi book cover*
Aww, this is cute!
oh and "how to use Queen's English"? sounds fun! (in American English)
*picks it up*
*opens the book*
*sees a drawing of a man with a Chinese style hair bun (complete with a men's hairpin) and with overly slanted eyes, holding a knife (not on the handle but on the blade) to his abdomen, looking like he's about to do seppuku (which is, a Japanese thing) sitting on a soccer field with the caption "I was literally gutted"*
WHAT THE F*CK....?
*puts back the book on the shelf*
*slowly backs away from the book*
nope.

[Marija Assereckova · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ну ладно, пару напыщенных слов я выучила. Только, по-моему, писать книги о языке, в которых половина – пересказ грамматики для начальной школы, как-то нечестно. Любой выпуск English Grammar in Use приближает читателя к королевскому, премьерскому, какому угодно английскому куда лучше этого сочинения.

[Alla Sobirova]

I really enjoyed the book and learned a lot of new things about English!

[Liana Ling · Rating 2 out of 5]

A guide to speaking the-most-widely-accepted English that covers grammar, writing style, speech, punctuation etc, providing a condensed overview of the language. Rather below my expectations, though; I didn't foresee it to be a book dishing out grammar rules.

[Ummu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book due to the interesting title ‘The Queen’s English’.
It is a refresher for myself. My native language is not English but it is a second language. I had an interesting learning experience of this language, back when I was an English Language student.

Some of my take-away from this book:
1) Dictionary is still an important book. I still use it and believe strongly that dictionary definitions are better than Internet definition. Although, at times, I use the Internet because dictionary is not near me.
2) Prior to reading this book, I only know a handful of prefixes and suffixes. There are close to 7 pages of common prefixes and suffixes mentioned in this book. I should make myself learn and memorise all of it.
3) Programme [British]: a schedule or a description of a play and its performers.
Program [British]: Instructions for a computer.
Program [American]: uses for both meanings above.
4) I have finally found the meaning of R.S.V.P.: repondez s’il vous plait (it means please reply in French).

It is nice to recap what I have learnt once in a while. Even if it took me a long time to finish it.

[Steve Mitchener · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little gem of a book, clearly and concisely explaining the basics and nuances of English grammar, spelling and punctuation. Pitched at a level suitable for native speakers as well as foreign students, the book opens up avenues for further study if required. So if you want to distinguish between your active and passive voice, or differentiate a transitive from an intransitive verb, then this guide is for you!

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be extremely entertaining. As the review says that it put very simply. It is a book you can pick up and hop around with from word to word. I worked for British Aerospace reps for years in St. Louis and it was always a laugh about the English language. I realize how many mistakes I've made but they let it go.

[Wsclai · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a useful tool book for learners of English as second language. The tips are clear and easy to follow but can be difficult sometimes as quite a lot of linguistic jargon is included. I find the part on punctuation the most helpful.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

English language is comprehensively discussed in this easy-to-read book with a lot of examples and tests!

[Simon · Rating 5 out of 5]

One does one's best