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Why Is This a Question?: Everything About the Origins and Oddities of Language You Never Thought to Ask
Why don’t eleven and twelve end in "–teen"?
The rest of our counting system sits in neatly arithmetical sets of ten, so why do these two rule-breakers seem so at odds with the numbers that follow them?
That’s probably a question that never occurred to you, but if you’re even remotely interested in the origins and oddities of language, it’s likely also a question you now want the answer to. Nor is it the only question: Thinking about how language operates presents more questions. Why do these letters look the way they do? Why are some uppercase and others lowercase? Why are these words in this order? How are you understanding what these seemingly arbitrary shapes and symbols mean when hearing them read to you in a voice inside your head? And what is this question mark really doing at this end of this sentence?
Books that explain the origins of our most intriguing words and phrases have long proved popular, but they often overlook the true nuts and bolts of language: the origins of our alphabet and writing system; grammatical rules and conventions; the sound structure of language; and even how our brains and bodies interpret and communicate language itself. Why Is This a Question? is a fascinating and enlightening exploration of linguistic questions you may have never thought to ask.
The rest of our counting system sits in neatly arithmetical sets of ten, so why do these two rule-breakers seem so at odds with the numbers that follow them?
That’s probably a question that never occurred to you, but if you’re even remotely interested in the origins and oddities of language, it’s likely also a question you now want the answer to. Nor is it the only question: Thinking about how language operates presents more questions. Why do these letters look the way they do? Why are some uppercase and others lowercase? Why are these words in this order? How are you understanding what these seemingly arbitrary shapes and symbols mean when hearing them read to you in a voice inside your head? And what is this question mark really doing at this end of this sentence?
Books that explain the origins of our most intriguing words and phrases have long proved popular, but they often overlook the true nuts and bolts of language: the origins of our alphabet and writing system; grammatical rules and conventions; the sound structure of language; and even how our brains and bodies interpret and communicate language itself. Why Is This a Question? is a fascinating and enlightening exploration of linguistic questions you may have never thought to ask.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 2022
63 people are currently reading
820 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
September 2, 2022
‘’Before we began drawing lines and borders around ourselves, the concept of a national language simply did not exist.’’
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In University, I took a linguistic course as an elective. As a young naive, overwhelmed student, who was relentless in her search to get in to her PhD of choice, I skimmed the course, without taking in any of the content, simply cramming before an exam. I often reflect on the breadth of knowledge I overlooked in that course. This book more than made up for it. And I gave it my whole attention.
If you're at all interested in the quirks of language, then Why is This a Question? is a book you need to read. Paul Anthony Jones has collected together an armada of interesting questions about how our language works - and provides answers that are clear, concise and fascinating.
Jones starts by exploring why some letters look the way they do, before moving on to questions about why certain words are in certain orders, and how we understand language despite its seeming arbitrary nature. Each answer is thoroughly researched and explained in a way that's easy to understand, even if you don't have a background in linguistics.
I also really enjoyed the explorations of the French language and our rules being a French Canadian.
This is a Spectacular book that reads like all the best answers of the best threads of the ELI5 subreddit. Jones does an amazing job of breaking down complex topics in a way that's easy to understand, and he even sprinkles in a few witty observations along the way. This book is perfect for anyone who wants to learn more about how our language works - or just enjoys reading really interesting trivia tidbits. This book has left me with a newfound appreciation for the complexities and quirks of our spoken and written languages.
Highly recommend for any geeks out there!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
In University, I took a linguistic course as an elective. As a young naive, overwhelmed student, who was relentless in her search to get in to her PhD of choice, I skimmed the course, without taking in any of the content, simply cramming before an exam. I often reflect on the breadth of knowledge I overlooked in that course. This book more than made up for it. And I gave it my whole attention.
If you're at all interested in the quirks of language, then Why is This a Question? is a book you need to read. Paul Anthony Jones has collected together an armada of interesting questions about how our language works - and provides answers that are clear, concise and fascinating.
Jones starts by exploring why some letters look the way they do, before moving on to questions about why certain words are in certain orders, and how we understand language despite its seeming arbitrary nature. Each answer is thoroughly researched and explained in a way that's easy to understand, even if you don't have a background in linguistics.
I also really enjoyed the explorations of the French language and our rules being a French Canadian.
This is a Spectacular book that reads like all the best answers of the best threads of the ELI5 subreddit. Jones does an amazing job of breaking down complex topics in a way that's easy to understand, and he even sprinkles in a few witty observations along the way. This book is perfect for anyone who wants to learn more about how our language works - or just enjoys reading really interesting trivia tidbits. This book has left me with a newfound appreciation for the complexities and quirks of our spoken and written languages.
Highly recommend for any geeks out there!
January 13, 2023
In this stimulating book, a kind of “linguistics for the layperson,” Paul Anthony Jones gives us a lively and accessible introduction to a field of study that is much broader than I would ever have guessed.
Why is This a Question?
is built around twenty questions and covers a wide variety of topics. Although Jones’s focus is mainly on English and the Proto-Indo-European language it sprang from, he considers much larger matters, including what makes something a language in the first place. Among other things, consideration is given to: theories about how language emerged among early humans, the anatomy involved in the production of speech (i.e., what distinguishes consonants from vowels), the brain’s processing of spoken and written language, and how the alphabet we use came to be. Until reading Jones’s book, I didn’t understand the degree to which linguistics draws on disciplines such as anthropology, philosophy, psychology, sociology, biology, computer science, and the health sciences. While I found some chapters more engaging than others, I learned something new from each. I only wish diagrams (to clarify anatomy) and visuals (to illustrate the various kinds of medieval scripts Jones refers to, for example) had been included.
February 16, 2024
I love linguistics, so I may be a bit biased, but I adored this book. I love reading about the nitty gritty details of languages and how they got that way. I learned a lot of new things from this book, and Jones dove into some topics I had never even pondered before. I appreciate that he often gave examples in many languages, not just English, including languages I had never even heard of.
Thank you, NetGalley and Elliott & Thompson for the ARC.
Thank you, NetGalley and Elliott & Thompson for the ARC.
December 1, 2024
I loved to see how body and language are actually so interconnected as well as language and capitalism. I think this is one of my favourite subjects ever?! Thank you Paul for putting it up so easily and engaging!
June 19, 2023
There's something cosily appealing about looking into why we use the (mostly written) word in a particular way, which Paul Anthony Jones does in this entertainingly readable little book. It might not interest everyone, but if you are into books (and particularly if, like me, you're a writer), this should be on your wishlist.
The book is structured as a series of questions, and Jones kicks of with a brilliant one, in that it appears simple, but it really isn't: 'What is a word?' He sets up a number of possibilities, only to knock them down with counter-examples and puzzling exceptions. Is, for instance, "that's" one word or two?
Some of the questions work better for me than others. I think Jones is at his best when he's following the main thread of the book, which is on written English and its antecedents. Part of the enjoyment of the book is his frequent deviations along the way, and this will often include detours into one of the languages that has influenced English, such as French, or distinctively different languages - for example those that don't use alphabets to explore the contrasts, but sometimes when he brings other languages in, there can be rather too many examples - there is more coherence when he links other languages to the main theme.
The same reduction in enthusiasm comes from a three variant questions - 'How do we read?', 'How do we speak?' and 'How do we understand?'. Here, Jones deviates from linguistics to biology and the mechanics of these concepts. They are all certainly linked to written language, but felt rather worthy and heavy going in approach when compared with the lighter and more entertaining approach taken to the rest of the questions.
It's the kind of book where it's almost impossible to avoid commenting to someone nearby a fascinating factoid that you have picked up, whether it's concerning a book only containing poems that attempt to provide a rhyme for 'orange', or how stress in spoken English enables us to distinguish between the otherwise audibly identical phrases of which only one is true: 'A crow is a black bird' and 'A crow is a blackbird'. I learned a lot about the way English developed, going all the way back to the Proto-Indo-European language.
Works both as a gift book to someone interested in writing or language and as an enjoyable read in its own right.
The book is structured as a series of questions, and Jones kicks of with a brilliant one, in that it appears simple, but it really isn't: 'What is a word?' He sets up a number of possibilities, only to knock them down with counter-examples and puzzling exceptions. Is, for instance, "that's" one word or two?
Some of the questions work better for me than others. I think Jones is at his best when he's following the main thread of the book, which is on written English and its antecedents. Part of the enjoyment of the book is his frequent deviations along the way, and this will often include detours into one of the languages that has influenced English, such as French, or distinctively different languages - for example those that don't use alphabets to explore the contrasts, but sometimes when he brings other languages in, there can be rather too many examples - there is more coherence when he links other languages to the main theme.
The same reduction in enthusiasm comes from a three variant questions - 'How do we read?', 'How do we speak?' and 'How do we understand?'. Here, Jones deviates from linguistics to biology and the mechanics of these concepts. They are all certainly linked to written language, but felt rather worthy and heavy going in approach when compared with the lighter and more entertaining approach taken to the rest of the questions.
It's the kind of book where it's almost impossible to avoid commenting to someone nearby a fascinating factoid that you have picked up, whether it's concerning a book only containing poems that attempt to provide a rhyme for 'orange', or how stress in spoken English enables us to distinguish between the otherwise audibly identical phrases of which only one is true: 'A crow is a black bird' and 'A crow is a blackbird'. I learned a lot about the way English developed, going all the way back to the Proto-Indo-European language.
Works both as a gift book to someone interested in writing or language and as an enjoyable read in its own right.
October 12, 2022
I have a moderate interest in linguistics but am by no means an expert. I took one class in college as part of my English major and listen to the Lingthusiasm podcast (though much of it goes over my head), but I haven't really made a deep dive into the subject. This book hit just the right range of knowledge for someone like me. I usually had heard the opening anecdote or theory of the chapter, but then the author would go further into the subject with examples and extensions I hadn't heard before. This book reminded me of What If? by Randall Munroe (of xkcd fame), but for linguistics instead of science. From the difficulties of how to define a word or language to the vagaries of English spelling quirks, there's a little bit of every kind of linguistic knowledge to be found here. I particularly enjoyed the chapter on why languages have gender. It's a relevant issue to modern times and has more advantages than those of us in a non-gendered language would think.
I recommend this book to other writers and consumers of language who want to expand their knowledge a bit but aren't wanting a full scholarly take on the subject. It's also a helpful guide from the perspective of a speculative fiction writer looking to do some worldbuilding. I must have written down at least ten language quirks that I want to employ in future storytelling.
I received a copy of this book on NetGalley to review.
I recommend this book to other writers and consumers of language who want to expand their knowledge a bit but aren't wanting a full scholarly take on the subject. It's also a helpful guide from the perspective of a speculative fiction writer looking to do some worldbuilding. I must have written down at least ten language quirks that I want to employ in future storytelling.
I received a copy of this book on NetGalley to review.
January 16, 2024
I don't know why I geek out over the ins and outs of language like this, as it is the opposite of what I do for a living. Maybe it's a nice complement for something that I don't get from a technical line of work. If you're into detail after details about why the English language - spoken, written, and even punctuation - is the way it is, you'll like this. I was surprised about 3/'4 of the way through when the topic changed from languages to language. What I mean is, all discussion of how the English language go to be the way it is stopped, and the author embarked on a lengthy discussion of the neurological aspects of language. It was interesting enough, but not as absorbing as the first 3/4, which is what I had come for. He ends ends with a discussion of hand gestures people use while taking, which seemed further afield. Again, it was interesting enough but seemed out of scope. It also ended abruptly, almost mid-discussion, with no wrap-up given.
You may be the reader who wants all of this content, and I will say I learned a little from the latter 1/4. For me, that content wasn't what I came for and seemed to slow things down for me. All in all, a good read and I will seek out the author's other titles to see what I can find.
You may be the reader who wants all of this content, and I will say I learned a little from the latter 1/4. For me, that content wasn't what I came for and seemed to slow things down for me. All in all, a good read and I will seek out the author's other titles to see what I can find.
February 1, 2024
This book was absolutely fascinating! I knew from the blurb it sounded interesting but I enjoyed it even more than I expected! The way it was written was excellent. Paul managed to stick a lot of humour in there which made it really fun to read too. Even if you never really thought you were particularly interested in language it would be an enjoyable read. I'm going to be thinking about the facts in this for a long time and telling them to whoever will listen (I already made my husband start reading it).
I loved the way it was split up into 20 questions so each section covered a different aspect (although some had crossovers/similarities) and it wasn't just one long book of information. It made me think of a longer, more fleshed out version of the language facts Susie Dent gives you on Countdown! Sadly it did not tell me how to properly express how amazing this book is. But it did cover a wide range of topics, from why certain words are what they are to unconventional spellings, the alphabet and even how our brain handles learning and understanding language.
This really was an excellent book that I thoroughly enjoyed and think you will too!
I loved the way it was split up into 20 questions so each section covered a different aspect (although some had crossovers/similarities) and it wasn't just one long book of information. It made me think of a longer, more fleshed out version of the language facts Susie Dent gives you on Countdown! Sadly it did not tell me how to properly express how amazing this book is. But it did cover a wide range of topics, from why certain words are what they are to unconventional spellings, the alphabet and even how our brain handles learning and understanding language.
This really was an excellent book that I thoroughly enjoyed and think you will too!
September 15, 2022
Why Is This a Question? by Paul Anthony Jones is a fun little book that gives a nice introduction to language and linguistics.
Even if most of the larger concepts are familiar to you this is still worth reading because of the examples used and the simple fact that most of us, unless we're professional linguists, have forgotten more than we remember. If you've never taken a course that would cover this material, this is an excellent and accessible introduction.
For me, the many examples and stories accompanying them made this a very enjoyable read. It was great to be reminded of things I had forgotten, and to learn the many new things I had missed, but it was definitely the superb use of narrative for some of the concepts took this from interesting to phenomenal.
Recommended for those wanting a better understanding of language as well as those who just enjoy words and how they came to be.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
Even if most of the larger concepts are familiar to you this is still worth reading because of the examples used and the simple fact that most of us, unless we're professional linguists, have forgotten more than we remember. If you've never taken a course that would cover this material, this is an excellent and accessible introduction.
For me, the many examples and stories accompanying them made this a very enjoyable read. It was great to be reminded of things I had forgotten, and to learn the many new things I had missed, but it was definitely the superb use of narrative for some of the concepts took this from interesting to phenomenal.
Recommended for those wanting a better understanding of language as well as those who just enjoy words and how they came to be.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
June 17, 2024
Soicio- and psycho-linguistics (that last one I made up) are fast becoming my new favorites genres. I love reading about meta aspects of words and language. This book was great. It really got me thinking. About what? Well here's a sampling:
Colder and dryer air reduces the elasticity of the vocal folds, which is why tonal languages don’t occur in such climates. (last footnote on pp 80-1)
Egressive sounds are produced by exhaling. English uses solely these. Ingressive sounds are produced by inhaling. Scandinavian languages have these. (81)
There used to be long and short consonants too. But instead of futilely trying to draw out a consonant, you would say it twice. That’s where our double letters (like that pair!) come from. (182)
Talking to someone is impolite. It’s a demand for that person’s time and attention. And the longer we talk the longer the imposition. (258) this must be why I tend to talk fast and feel the need to shut up after not too long.
Colder and dryer air reduces the elasticity of the vocal folds, which is why tonal languages don’t occur in such climates. (last footnote on pp 80-1)
Egressive sounds are produced by exhaling. English uses solely these. Ingressive sounds are produced by inhaling. Scandinavian languages have these. (81)
There used to be long and short consonants too. But instead of futilely trying to draw out a consonant, you would say it twice. That’s where our double letters (like that pair!) come from. (182)
Talking to someone is impolite. It’s a demand for that person’s time and attention. And the longer we talk the longer the imposition. (258) this must be why I tend to talk fast and feel the need to shut up after not too long.
December 21, 2023
Fascinating. The title pulled me in straight away, and the content lived up to my expectations. Pleasant writing style, with gently humorous throwaways, the book has twenty chapters covering questions like 'What is a word?', 'What is the hardest language to learn?', 'Why does i have a dot?' and so on. You'll learn the etymology of 'upper case' and 'lower case'; you'll learn how the ? came to be that shape; you'll learn why some texts are written left to right while others are right to left. I read this whilst on holiday in Egypt, and the question I would have liked the book to answer is 'Why are our 'Arabic' numerals nothing like the ones Arabs use?'. Some sections had just a little bit too much information for me to take in/remember, but overall an entertaining and informative read.
September 1, 2023
This book certainly does offer answers to most of the absurd questions we may have about the English language (and other languages). It starts with a history lesson as to where and how language first developed and asks why language has gender forms, vowels and consonants, the oddities of dots and squiggles for accents, as well as the order that our words go in (among many other chapters). This is a dense, informative book and not one that should be broached without a genuine interest in linguistics and historical facts. It is definitely interesting but not a light read.
This ARC was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This ARC was provided by the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
July 23, 2023
Enthralling, informative, readable - everything you want from a book. I think that language is the most intriguing tool available to us, and I love finding out more about why we use the alphabet, vocabulary, and grammar that we do. Learning something about the almost infinite variety of other languages is a bonus.
Small quibble - when the author is talking about structures in the brain he twice asserts that Wernicke's area is anterior to Broca's area. It is behind, so posterior. I can't say for sure that there aren't other errors. Disappointing
Small quibble - when the author is talking about structures in the brain he twice asserts that Wernicke's area is anterior to Broca's area. It is behind, so posterior. I can't say for sure that there aren't other errors. Disappointing
July 30, 2023
I'm very surprised by how academic this book is. It doesn't shy away from very rigourous linguistic theory, linguistic jargon, and linguistic history. It treats the reader as an enthusiastic student of linguistics, rather than a casual observer. Having said that (or perhaps because of it), I greatly enjoyed this book from start to finish. It was a lovely refresher course in a lot of linguistics knowledge that I already knew, and wonderfully full of many things I didn't know.
April 5, 2025
This is a truly fascinating book. I’ve been reading it on-and-off for a couple of years now, and kept having to restart as I’d forgotten what I’d already read. So I decided it was time to finish it (I’m off work for the foreseeable future following a stroke). An added bonus was that it taught me a lot about why I can’t talk currently and how the different areas of my brain 🧠 work! Brilliant. I shall definitely return to this and I’m glad I finished it.
November 10, 2023
I loved this book. Although some of the information was very detailed, it was also clearly presented in a conversational tone. The subject matter is fascinating and presented with a good deal of humour. Jones uses a lot of examples to make his points. This book is well worth reading. Thank you to Netgalley and Elliott & Thompson for the advance reader copy.
December 29, 2023
Why is this a question is a very interesting book. I love books on language and this book fills the gap between the very readable Susie Dent style book and the totally unreadable scholarly works. It's both scholarly and very readable. Not every chapter grabbed me, but plenty of the book did engage me. A very enjoyable read.
August 29, 2024
There's a heck of a lot in this book. It is at times fascinating, and also at times slightly befuddling. It's readable, but perhaps best absorbed in stages (almost a chapter a week, as if it was a newspaper column?) rather than continuously, as I did. How much of it will I remember? I don't know, but I suspect I've just become slightly better at pub quizzes.
May 5, 2025
I've enjoyed learning much from this book. It is written with humour. Some of it is very detailed and I felt a little out of my depth from time to time but the good thing is you can go back a page or two and read it again. (It even explains how you read whether first time or second!) For a word nerd, it's a great book.
August 28, 2022
Anyone interested in language and it's evolution would thoroughly enjoy this. So well written. The writer is engaging and conveys a sense of humour and a passion for language. I'm recommending it to my English teacher friends for sure!
September 26, 2022
Amazing book with questions you never thought to ask.
It tool some getting in too but once started I was fascinated
Very well written after all what is rhe reason for eleven and twelve not have teen on them
Worth getting for those times when want impress people at party Christmas etc
It tool some getting in too but once started I was fascinated
Very well written after all what is rhe reason for eleven and twelve not have teen on them
Worth getting for those times when want impress people at party Christmas etc
October 20, 2022
I love linguistics and the reasons behind why we speak the way we do and why words mean the things they mean. Why Is This a Question? by Paul Anthony Jones is a perfect primer for so many linguistic questions.
The earlier chapters are definitely more interesting than the later ones as the author starts to get into the weeds about history a bit too much for me. I did highlight a lot about compound words and stressed syllables which will be helpful when I end up in discussions about hyphens and how things should be pronounced when I proofread things.
I'm not sure if this book will be for everyone, if only because it is such a niche topic, but I do think it is worth skimming and learning something new about why English speakers communicate the way they do.
Thank you to NetGalley and Elliott & Thompson for a chance to review this book.
The earlier chapters are definitely more interesting than the later ones as the author starts to get into the weeds about history a bit too much for me. I did highlight a lot about compound words and stressed syllables which will be helpful when I end up in discussions about hyphens and how things should be pronounced when I proofread things.
I'm not sure if this book will be for everyone, if only because it is such a niche topic, but I do think it is worth skimming and learning something new about why English speakers communicate the way they do.
Thank you to NetGalley and Elliott & Thompson for a chance to review this book.
October 22, 2022
Thank you for the advanced copy.
I find this area very interesting and I believe this book will not be for everyone as is such a niche topic.
I found the book to be amazing and some of the areas I know I will revisit.
Highly recommended
I find this area very interesting and I believe this book will not be for everyone as is such a niche topic.
I found the book to be amazing and some of the areas I know I will revisit.
Highly recommended
June 15, 2023
Informative, endlessly fascinating and a must-read for anyone interested in language and linguistics. Wide-ranging in its approach, accessibly written, with something new to learn at every point along the way, I found the book a real joy. Highly recommended.
July 4, 2023
An interesting but sometimes quite technical book about the oddities of language. There are chapters on the origin of the alphabet and I found the material on the origin of the words for our numbers fascinating.
January 5, 2024
It was really enjoyable, but I am a linguist 😊 I learned a lot about English as I only studied to speak but not from the linguistic perspective. The overall references to language and linguistics are very well explained and helped me to remember my studies at college (e.g. Proto-Indo-European 😃)
June 28, 2023
Loved how in detail it went into each question and examined questions you may never have asked before .
July 3, 2023
Such an interesting and entertaining book. Full of fascinating facts I didn't know about language.
August 26, 2023
brilliant and enjoyable to read, I read it so fast after Christmas and it was so good
July 9, 2024
Entertaining and very educational. I learned more from this book than most of the other "quirky grammar" type books that I've read (and enjoyed).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews