The English Language: A Guided Tour of the Language

by David Crystal

This new edition of David Crystal's classic book is the definitive survey of English in all its global variations. Despite the astonishingly widespread use of English, each speaker makes it his own. Whenever we write or speak we give away a great deal about ourselves by our choices in pronunciation, dialect, vocabulary and grammar. This fascinating books explores the way the language has developed, and examines the factors that unify it and the variations that divide it both nationwide and worldwide.

Now completely revised, The English Language takes into account the phenomenal influence of the Internet as well as social and political changes, recent neologisms, developments in the media and shifting preferences in accent and dialect. There is also a new chapter on the effect of technology on English and a final discussion of the future of the language.

Genres: Nonfiction, Linguistics, Language, History, Reference, School, Academic

312 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1988

About the author

David Crystal works from his home in Holyhead, North Wales, as a writer, editor, lecturer, and broadcaster. Born in Lisburn, Northern Ireland in 1941, he spent his early years in Holyhead. His family moved to Liverpool in 1951, and he received his secondary schooling at St Mary's College. He read English at University College London (1959-62), specialised in English language studies, did some research there at the Survey of English Usage under Randolph Quirk (1962-3), then joined academic life as a lecturer in linguistics, first at Bangor, then at Reading. He published the first of his 100 or so books in 1964, and became known chiefly for his research work in English language studies, in such fields as intonation and stylistics, and in the application of linguistics to religious, educational and clinical contexts, notably in the development of a range of linguistic profiling techniques for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. He held a chair at the University of Reading for 10 years, and is now Honorary Professor of Linguistics at the University of Wales, Bangor. These days he divides his time between work on language and work on internet applications.

source: http://www.davidcrystal.com/

Reviews

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing trip through the history and use of English, this book never fails to amuse, dazzle, and educate as it guides you through the development of the language since the Angles and Saxons invaded Britain in the fifth century. If you've ever wondered why English spelling is so bizarre, or its grammar so obtuse, or why pronunciation can be tricky, then you will find the answers here. The author explains how English came to dominate as a world language, and tells us about a few of its more popular varieties around the world. He shows us how technology has had very definite effects on language, from the invention of the printing press over five hundred years ago to the Internet today.

Crystal is an historian, but his style is authoritative without being academic; his writing is easy to read and if technical terms arise, he explains them clearly. He does not complain about changes like a purist, but simply observes, reports, and enjoys the way that language lives with the human beings that speak it. My only complaints were the necessary brevity of the text, and the fact that it is already nearly ten years old means that it is about due for a revised edition. The book is a marvel - if you like language, you will enjoy it.

[Barb Middleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

David Crystal presents the history of the English language in an easy-to-read format that is not too dry. The linguistic perspective shows the evolution of English from Old English that had very few surviving manuscripts (about 30) to global English that has diversified into different dialects. He addresses some of the language anxiety that has come out of these variations in recent history such as Singapore and points out the paradox of the government mandating the people to not use a mixture of Singapore and English while not recognizing the identity that comes from this unique vernacular. The studies he explores regarding the English language's influence throughout the world was the most interesting for me. Some of the more detailed linguistic examinations I skimmed over. Although the grammatical structure changes from Old English into Modern English today were interesting, especially when he states that Middle English was more set in its form with the subject, verb, object. Right. I couldn't understand half the sentences. It wasn't clear to me. Chaucer is not easy to read.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating little book about the English Language and a perfect present for anyone who gets cross if you pronounce schedule as "sked-yule" rather than "shed-yule", or who in any other way tries to keep the language inflexible and unchanging. It takes the sting out of those people by making it clear how changeable, flexible and, yes, international English is. As a lovely bonus, Crystal suggests a fairly pain free way of working out the size of your vocabulary. I can't wait to get started.

[Bea Weasley · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The more we learn about where the language has been, how it is structured, how it is used, and how it is changing, the more we will be able to judge its present course and help to plan its future."

if only all my university readings were as interesting as this one

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who has both studied English Language in the past, and enjoys reading about it for pleasure this book appealed to me straight away. I found it to be a brilliant insight in to the language with a great, in depth look at all aspects from Old English to modern inventions such as netspeak, in a way that felt accessible.

[Stephen Hull · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great book for the bathroom.

[Daniel Olachea · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting book. Seemed a bit scattered with its subjects, but interesting to read.

[Alan Jay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Went to an open day at Glasgow University and English Language and Linguistics really appealed to me, so I asked the lecturer for a recommendation on where to start and he picked this.

As somone who has barely read a book in his life nevermind one like this, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Short but educational, intelligent yet humorous.

Really made me think about the politics around the evolution of English, such as who got to decide what "proper" English would be, i.e. the rich and privileged, who then decided those who spoke differently were lower than them.

The book doesn't shy away from exploring England's colonial history which I appreciate, although it would be impossible to study the English language without doing so.

Recommend for those who, like me, are interested in the history of English. It'll also help you find a niche you may enjoy, mine being Old English and the runic alphabet which I look forward to reading more about.

[Inma Ranea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book to know how English language has evolved through the time. It starts with the structure of English, the its use, and finally, it ends with the history of English (starting with Old English and ending with English Tomorrow).

It very interesting to learn how English change through the years.

I love the part that talks about Shakespeare (p. 214 - 221), talking about the Early Modern English.
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Un gran libro para conocer cómo la lengua inglesa ha evolucionado a través del tiempo. Empieza con la estructura del Inglés, con su uso, y finalmente, acaba con la historia inglesa (empezando con el inglés antiguo y acabando con el inglés del mañana).

Es muy interesante aprender como el inglés a acabado a través de los años.

Me encanta la parte en la que se habla sobre Shakespeare (p. 214 - 221), hablando sobre el temprano inglés moderno.

[Rupert Owen · Rating 3 out of 5]

David writes concisely about the English language and its global impact. For me, part three was the most interesting, but was fairly truncated in its overview, while other sections of the book felt a little frivolous. Some of the earlier sections, such as poetry and wordplay are apropos to most languages, and it felt like surplus filler material to bulk out the book. Sometimes, there are tables included like the trucker CB-10 codes that take up a fair whack of page space, and feel completely unnecessary to the subject matter at hand. However, David has formatted this book to be approached as periodical minutiae without the need to read in sequence. In this way, it felt like a Sunday morning read, along with doing the crossword.

[Book busy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm going to be honest I'd say this second edition is still too outdated. The internet speak sections are interesting but have in parts lost relevance or aren't picking up on how interesting speech patterns in 2025 are, though this is obviously no fault of Crystal's given that for all his skills time-travel is not one of them.
I'd say that a lot of the overview of language in terms of uses felt quite elementary and I only began to read things that didn't feel common sense when approaching the history of English.

This felt like it could have been shorter and more concise as I feel, as much as I admire him, that David Crystal at times over-explains concepts which whilst improving clarity reduces the grip of a swift pacing.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

A far-reaching volume that deals with evolution of language, regional variations, technology, slang, jargon, humor... you name it. David Crystal has a brilliant way of making the basics of linguistics accessible to anyone. I'm sure he certainly could go into greater depth, but then this very readable volume would feel like a textbook instead.

[Iñigo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing tour of the English language: origins, stages, world Englishes with their own linguistic features, the influence of new technologies... In a down-to-Earth way, David Crystal explores how the language has evolved and presents the similarities and variations intra-nationally and internationally. No need to be a linguist to enjoy it. Highly recommended!!!

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have just read the 1988 edition of 'The English Language,' and as much as I enjoyed the comprehensive and very readable 'guided tour', I was aware throughout that it was out of date. I need to read a version for the 21st century - if it exists, and if this famous expert is still with us. 4/5

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable and interseting, although the chapter on the effects of technology is in dire need of an update.

[Uma A · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comprehensive book about the development of English Language.

[Christopher Walker · Rating 2 out of 5]

Crystal went too topical with his study of the language here, and now much of his book is out of date. It's a good read, but of historical interest now.

[Marta Guerrero · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fantastic.

[Mark A.]

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[Cyrize · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and accessible, very easy to read

[isabel · Rating 1 out of 5]

this was torture

[Rose]

I'd read this book some time ago, but still enjoyed re-reading it - even if it did take me a long time to finish it. I learnt some interesting things and, overall, it was a good refresher for me in the basic history of English and issues such as whether local dialects and Standard English should both be used in schools.

[Eryne Miganet · Rating 2 out of 5]

... Seeing as I HAD to read it for school, it wasn't as enjoyable as I think it would be had I chosen it of my own accord. Interestingly written, it conveys all the basics you have to have to start an academic career in English literature. Very encompassing overview over all generic information and terms. Nicely written.

[Fiona · Rating 4 out of 5]

An accessible read - a good one especially when you know that it's the opposite of what Gove is spouting about at the moment. Probably most EAL teachers will have this info already, also thanks to Crystal's influence in National Strategy, pre Tories ,many primary teachers will be able to read this and recognise his influence- ah for the days of research led practice!!!

[Minna Iikkanen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mielenkiintoinen katsaus englanninkieleen, sen historiaan ja nykypäivään. Tarjoaa monta ahaa-elämystä sanojen alkuperästä. Kertoo englanninkieltä käyttävien maiden kielellisistä eroista ja valottaa historiaa näiden eroavaisuuksien takana.

[Iván · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting information is shown in the book. I will take another look at it in the future, but it surely is a recommendable book. If you love English check, you won't be disappointed.
Also is a book that may be a path to some discussion and further investigation.

[Bel · Rating 3 out of 5]

David Crystal is a very engaging writer. Unfortunately, a lot of the material in this book was already familar to me, so perhaps I wasn't the target audience. There were still lots of interesting nuggets though, which kept me reading to the end.

[Jason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic work by Crystal on language written for an nonacademic audience.

[Nicki · Rating 1 out of 5]

I would definitely prefer to listen to this as an audiobook than read it. Although the few pages I did read were interesting, I haven't been interested enough to pick it up again.

[Bill Carrasco]

Good introduction to he history of the English Language, bit only as an introduction. I like the idea of a "guided tour" of language. I'd like to read about other languages this way.