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Beyond Words: How Language Reveals the Way We Live Now
'Wonderfully spirited' DAILY MAIL
The follow-up to the Sunday Times Top 10 bestseller Lost for Words , from Today presenter and national treasure John Humphrys.
From the huge response to Lost for Words , it's clear that many of us share John's strong feelings about the use and misuse of the English language. Not because we want to split hairs (or infinitives) but because how we use words reveals so much about the way we see the world.
Here John takes a sharp look at phrases and expressions in current use to expose the often hidden attitudes that lie behind them - from the schoolroom to the boardroom, from Westminster to the weather forecast. Questioning our assumptions, puncturing our illusions and illuminating the way we live now, Beyond Words is a small book that speaks volumes.
The follow-up to the Sunday Times Top 10 bestseller Lost for Words , from Today presenter and national treasure John Humphrys.
From the huge response to Lost for Words , it's clear that many of us share John's strong feelings about the use and misuse of the English language. Not because we want to split hairs (or infinitives) but because how we use words reveals so much about the way we see the world.
Here John takes a sharp look at phrases and expressions in current use to expose the often hidden attitudes that lie behind them - from the schoolroom to the boardroom, from Westminster to the weather forecast. Questioning our assumptions, puncturing our illusions and illuminating the way we live now, Beyond Words is a small book that speaks volumes.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2006
9 people are currently reading
53 people want to read
About the author
John Humphrys
22 books5 followersDesmond John Humphrys is a Welsh author, journalist and presenter of radio and television, who has won many national broadcasting awards. From 1981 to 1987 he was the main presenter for the Nine O'Clock News, the flagship BBC news television programme, and since 1987 he has been a presenter on the award-winning BBC Radio 4 programme, Today. He is also currently the host of the popular BBC Two television quiz show Mastermind.
John Humphrys has written several books, including Lost for Words, in which he criticizes what he sees as the widespread misuse of the English language, plus 'Devil's Advocate', 'Beyond Words', 'The Great Food Gamble' and 'In God We Doubt: Confessions Of A Failed Atheist'. Humphrys is an agnostic, but has a curiosity to test his agnosticism and challenge established religions to see if they can restore his childhood belief in God. In 2006, he presented a BBC Radio 4 programme, titled "Humphrys in Search of God" where he spoke to leading British authorities on Christianity, Judaism and Islam to try and restore his faith.
Humphrys is a columnist for the Daily Mail.
John Humphrys has written several books, including Lost for Words, in which he criticizes what he sees as the widespread misuse of the English language, plus 'Devil's Advocate', 'Beyond Words', 'The Great Food Gamble' and 'In God We Doubt: Confessions Of A Failed Atheist'. Humphrys is an agnostic, but has a curiosity to test his agnosticism and challenge established religions to see if they can restore his childhood belief in God. In 2006, he presented a BBC Radio 4 programme, titled "Humphrys in Search of God" where he spoke to leading British authorities on Christianity, Judaism and Islam to try and restore his faith.
Humphrys is a columnist for the Daily Mail.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
January 19, 2016
Beyond Words by John Humphrys was published in 2006 in the wake of the popularity of Lynne Truss’s Eats Shoots and Leaves. It’s very much in the same vein, essentially a extended rant about the use of language, though Humphrys’s is rather less instructive. The back cover has one of the most accurate blurbs I’ve read in a long time: “What are the words and expressions that irk, intrigue and provoke John Humphrys?”
Amusingly, the book is subtitled ‘How Language Reveals The Way We Live Now’. I hypothesise that this subtitle was not submitted by Mr Humphrys himself. Firstly, I Don’t Think He’d Approve Of Capitalisation Of The First Letter Of Every Word. In fact, he rails against it in the book. Secondly, his narrative does not address ‘how language reveals the way we live now’. Not really. It is just a jolly romp through the modern day use of language.
This is entertaining, engaging, and it makes some interesting points about the development of language. It’s also genuinely funny. He has particularly memorable rants against familiar targets such as “Your M&S” (“The slogan implies that the product or service has been specially designed just for you personally. It hasn’t. The stuff is mass-produced for a mass market and the business – like almost every other large business around the world – is becoming less and less personal.”) and the Inland Revenue (“‘working with the largest customer base of any UK organisation’” is meaningless because the “customers” simply have no choice).
In contrast to Lynne Truss, who, apparently without irony, lamented the decline of formal English in an unnecessarily conversational grammar guide, John Humphrys takes a more reflective and analytical approach to changes in language. His tone is equally conversational and laced with humour, but without the repetitive vitriolic condemnation of the reader typical of Truss. And, in fairness, without the perhaps useful instruction that Truss provides.
Humphrys is easy to read. Perhaps it’s the way his voice is imprinted on my brain from years of listening to Radio 4, but his book reads almost as if one is in the room with him, and listening to a well-argued, highly entertaining monologue. And, unlike lesser authors, Humphrys is not trying to argue that misplaced apostrophes are the cause of social decline: He takes a reasoned approach to his arguments, which makes his conclusions seem all the more valid.
All-in-all, Beyond Words is a great read. It’s interesting and informative, genuinely funny, and short enough not to labour its points. I’d highly recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in the English language.
Amusingly, the book is subtitled ‘How Language Reveals The Way We Live Now’. I hypothesise that this subtitle was not submitted by Mr Humphrys himself. Firstly, I Don’t Think He’d Approve Of Capitalisation Of The First Letter Of Every Word. In fact, he rails against it in the book. Secondly, his narrative does not address ‘how language reveals the way we live now’. Not really. It is just a jolly romp through the modern day use of language.
This is entertaining, engaging, and it makes some interesting points about the development of language. It’s also genuinely funny. He has particularly memorable rants against familiar targets such as “Your M&S” (“The slogan implies that the product or service has been specially designed just for you personally. It hasn’t. The stuff is mass-produced for a mass market and the business – like almost every other large business around the world – is becoming less and less personal.”) and the Inland Revenue (“‘working with the largest customer base of any UK organisation’” is meaningless because the “customers” simply have no choice).
In contrast to Lynne Truss, who, apparently without irony, lamented the decline of formal English in an unnecessarily conversational grammar guide, John Humphrys takes a more reflective and analytical approach to changes in language. His tone is equally conversational and laced with humour, but without the repetitive vitriolic condemnation of the reader typical of Truss. And, in fairness, without the perhaps useful instruction that Truss provides.
Humphrys is easy to read. Perhaps it’s the way his voice is imprinted on my brain from years of listening to Radio 4, but his book reads almost as if one is in the room with him, and listening to a well-argued, highly entertaining monologue. And, unlike lesser authors, Humphrys is not trying to argue that misplaced apostrophes are the cause of social decline: He takes a reasoned approach to his arguments, which makes his conclusions seem all the more valid.
All-in-all, Beyond Words is a great read. It’s interesting and informative, genuinely funny, and short enough not to labour its points. I’d highly recommend it to anyone with even a passing interest in the English language.
August 13, 2022
By turns funny, passionate and provocative must for anyone who cares about the use/misuse of the English language!
January 24, 2021
This book is about the changing of our language communication in the society especially (English). The writer wrote his work experiences while observed something in people that changed a lot but nobody noticed it; language. It's true that people say our communication influenced by the places that we lived or the time that we're living now.
February 10, 2012
Language is closely connected with culture, and that's what this book describes: how language is used by today's contemporary British culture. Yet many of these phenomena are rampant across all western countries, regardless of language. Everything in our society has become commercialised, from politics to education to sport, and the language used in those fields clearly reflects this. Our lives are now "lifestyles", we've lost all respect for the real meaning of "respect", and as we "exceed our customers' expectations", nobody wants to have authority any more, but to "be your friend" - even those you do business with and those who are in charge. These are just a few examples. In many ways, our language is catering to the lowest common denominator, and has created a society of brainless consumers, who don't even know the meanings or use of the basic words and grammar that frame their lives, and don't care, either.
I agree with much of what Humprhys says, especially that this creeping social apathy is dangerous. However, I was hoping for something a little more erudite on language itself. Quite a lot of the book was an old man's rant about "What's wrong with Britain today". Admittedly, it was an erudite and witty dissertation, but a rant nonetheless - which is why I have given it only 3 out of 5. Really, I find Stephen Fry's prsentations on the same topic much more informative and entertaining.
I agree with much of what Humprhys says, especially that this creeping social apathy is dangerous. However, I was hoping for something a little more erudite on language itself. Quite a lot of the book was an old man's rant about "What's wrong with Britain today". Admittedly, it was an erudite and witty dissertation, but a rant nonetheless - which is why I have given it only 3 out of 5. Really, I find Stephen Fry's prsentations on the same topic much more informative and entertaining.
January 14, 2014
I couldn't help but read this book hearing Mr Humphrys' voice rather than my own, which I suppose is what comes of waking to Radio 4 every morning.
I was expecting little more than an extended pedantic quibble about linguistic laziness, but was pleasantly surprised. His intially scattergun commentary on jargon, hype and the dodgy world of consumer marketing picks off some easy targets. It's like shooting fish in a barrel.
As he goes on, his thesis gains depth, focus and force. Humphrys does at times tread a wobbly tightrope between thoughtful deconstruction of perverted modern usage and a dose of cosy pre-lapsarian grumpiness about today's world. But later chapters musing on employment, education and politics are particularly telling and especially amusing. I nearly wept at his passage on the joys awaiting anyone minded to become a school governor, which reaches the pinnacle of sheer managerialist silliness.
But there's a deadly serious point behind this book about the perils of personal and public consciousness becoming steadily twisted by twisted language. It's almost impossible not to side with 'Humph' on this. At the very least, let's all join the Plain English Campaign now!
(Ooh, should I grammar-check this? Are my apostrophes in the....)
I was expecting little more than an extended pedantic quibble about linguistic laziness, but was pleasantly surprised. His intially scattergun commentary on jargon, hype and the dodgy world of consumer marketing picks off some easy targets. It's like shooting fish in a barrel.
As he goes on, his thesis gains depth, focus and force. Humphrys does at times tread a wobbly tightrope between thoughtful deconstruction of perverted modern usage and a dose of cosy pre-lapsarian grumpiness about today's world. But later chapters musing on employment, education and politics are particularly telling and especially amusing. I nearly wept at his passage on the joys awaiting anyone minded to become a school governor, which reaches the pinnacle of sheer managerialist silliness.
But there's a deadly serious point behind this book about the perils of personal and public consciousness becoming steadily twisted by twisted language. It's almost impossible not to side with 'Humph' on this. At the very least, let's all join the Plain English Campaign now!
(Ooh, should I grammar-check this? Are my apostrophes in the....)
June 17, 2015
Lots of this book frustrated me (as a linguistics graduate it couldn't not), but I read all but about 20 pages of it in one sitting and when I wasn't able to finish it, hunted it down a few weeks later to finish the last 20 pages (so I couldn't have disliked it that much!).
My job overlaps areas of marketing and there were a few sections which talked about marketing jargon and business talk talked that I found funny. However, I disagreed with the vast majority of the book's opinions about language use. Primarily, I just don't think grammar or spelling in casual settings is that important.
I picked this up hoping it would be a very light linguisticy read, but it just wasn't that sort of book.
My job overlaps areas of marketing and there were a few sections which talked about marketing jargon and business talk talked that I found funny. However, I disagreed with the vast majority of the book's opinions about language use. Primarily, I just don't think grammar or spelling in casual settings is that important.
I picked this up hoping it would be a very light linguisticy read, but it just wasn't that sort of book.
November 19, 2007
John Humphrys and his way with words now take a turn and looks as how words and culture affect each other. For a person who is obsessed with words and what they mean and what they are supposed to mean - this is engrossing. I am somewhere at page 86 - and it is as serious as it is funny. If you have ever wondered about the place of language in society - I definitely recommend it.
Update:
I have chosen now to let it go. After a while it became more of a "social-change" bashing than something "beyond words". For now, I am done with it.
Update:
I have chosen now to let it go. After a while it became more of a "social-change" bashing than something "beyond words". For now, I am done with it.
April 4, 2010
An entertaining listen, showing his witty side - although in the second half, he does tend to stray into "Grumpy Old Men" territory! :-)
August 12, 2013
It's alright....
June 6, 2014
I really enjoyed listening to this on the car audio. Fantastic and thought provoking!
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews