Language Books

Showing 1-50 of 45,328
The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way (Paperback)
by (shelved 816 times as language)
avg rating 3.91 — 44,202 ratings — published 1990
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The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language (Paperback)
by (shelved 786 times as language)
avg rating 4.01 — 22,502 ratings — published 1994
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Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation (Hardcover)
by (shelved 704 times as language)
avg rating 3.87 — 106,413 ratings — published 2003
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Fluent Forever: How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget It Fluent Forever: How to Learn Any Language Fast and Never Forget It (Paperback)
by (shelved 565 times as language)
avg rating 4.08 — 13,052 ratings — published 2014
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Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages Through the Language Glass: Why the World Looks Different in Other Languages (Hardcover)
by (shelved 505 times as language)
avg rating 3.91 — 7,379 ratings — published 2010
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The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary (Paperback)
by (shelved 437 times as language)
avg rating 3.84 — 121,817 ratings — published 1998
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The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll through the Hidden Connections of the English Language The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll through the Hidden Connections of the English Language (Hardcover)
by (shelved 425 times as language)
avg rating 4.23 — 12,452 ratings — published 2011
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Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language (Hardcover)
by (shelved 416 times as language)
avg rating 4.05 — 12,496 ratings — published 2019
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The Elements of Style The Elements of Style (Hardcover)
by (shelved 390 times as language)
avg rating 4.18 — 87,107 ratings — published 1918
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Empires of the Word: A Language History of the World Empires of the Word: A Language History of the World (Paperback)
by (shelved 367 times as language)
avg rating 4.07 — 3,092 ratings — published 2005
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The Unfolding of Language: An Evolutionary Tour of Mankind's Greatest Invention The Unfolding of Language: An Evolutionary Tour of Mankind's Greatest Invention (Paperback)
by (shelved 365 times as language)
avg rating 4.22 — 4,059 ratings — published 2005
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Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold History of English Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The Untold History of English (Paperback)
by (shelved 355 times as language)
avg rating 3.83 — 7,188 ratings — published 2008
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The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature (Hardcover)
by (shelved 354 times as language)
avg rating 3.91 — 11,205 ratings — published 2007
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Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries Word by Word: The Secret Life of Dictionaries (Hardcover)
by (shelved 285 times as language)
avg rating 4.18 — 9,225 ratings — published 2017
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Metaphors We Live By Metaphors We Live By (Paperback)
by (shelved 270 times as language)
avg rating 4.09 — 6,927 ratings — published 1980
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Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States Made in America: An Informal History of the English Language in the United States (Paperback)
by (shelved 268 times as language)
avg rating 3.92 — 16,016 ratings — published 1994
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Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism (Hardcover)
by (shelved 262 times as language)
avg rating 3.81 — 117,543 ratings — published 2021
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Lingo: A Language Spotter's Guide to Europe Lingo: A Language Spotter's Guide to Europe (Kindle Edition)
by (shelved 245 times as language)
avg rating 3.92 — 4,683 ratings — published 2014
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Fluent in 3 Months: How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the World Fluent in 3 Months: How Anyone at Any Age Can Learn to Speak Any Language from Anywhere in the World (Paperback)
by (shelved 231 times as language)
avg rating 3.66 — 5,783 ratings — published 2014
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The Adventure of English: The Biography of a Language The Adventure of English: The Biography of a Language (Paperback)
by (shelved 224 times as language)
avg rating 3.94 — 5,147 ratings — published 2003
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Is That a Fish in Your Ear? Translation and the Meaning of Everything Is That a Fish in Your Ear? Translation and the Meaning of Everything (Hardcover)
by (shelved 219 times as language)
avg rating 3.77 — 2,796 ratings — published 2011
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Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language Wordslut: A Feminist Guide to Taking Back the English Language (Hardcover)
by (shelved 217 times as language)
avg rating 4.23 — 27,969 ratings — published 2019
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The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person's Guide to Writing in the 21st Century (Hardcover)
by (shelved 206 times as language)
avg rating 4.04 — 9,213 ratings — published 2014
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Babel: Around the World in Twenty Languages Babel: Around the World in Twenty Languages (Hardcover)
by (shelved 195 times as language)
avg rating 3.79 — 4,186 ratings — published 2018
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The Art of Language Invention: From Horse-Lords to Dark Elves to Sand Worms, the Words Behind World-Building The Art of Language Invention: From Horse-Lords to Dark Elves to Sand Worms, the Words Behind World-Building (Paperback)
by (shelved 178 times as language)
avg rating 4.13 — 2,031 ratings — published 2015
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Babel Babel (Hardcover)
by (shelved 173 times as language)
avg rating 4.14 — 469,725 ratings — published 2022
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The Story of English The Story of English (Paperback)
by (shelved 170 times as language)
avg rating 4.09 — 2,403 ratings — published 1986
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The Elements of Eloquence: How to Turn the Perfect English Phrase The Elements of Eloquence: How to Turn the Perfect English Phrase (Hardcover)
by (shelved 163 times as language)
avg rating 4.35 — 7,350 ratings — published 2013
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Wheelock's Latin Wheelock's Latin (Paperback)
by (shelved 161 times as language)
avg rating 4.13 — 1,801 ratings — published 1956
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Words and Rules Words and Rules (Paperback)
by (shelved 161 times as language)
avg rating 3.91 — 1,927 ratings — published 1999
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Words on the Move: Why English Won't—and Can't—Sit Still (Like, Literally) Words on the Move: Why English Won't—and Can't—Sit Still (Like, Literally)
by (shelved 157 times as language)
avg rating 4.14 — 1,951 ratings — published 2016
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The Story of English in 100 Words The Story of English in 100 Words (Hardcover)
by (shelved 157 times as language)
avg rating 3.92 — 2,543 ratings — published 2011
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The Horse, the Wheel, and Language: How Bronze-Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped the Modern World The Horse, the Wheel, and Language: How Bronze-Age Riders from the Eurasian Steppes Shaped the Modern World (Hardcover)
by (shelved 153 times as language)
avg rating 3.99 — 3,962 ratings — published 2007
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Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style Dreyer's English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style (Hardcover)
by (shelved 146 times as language)
avg rating 4.34 — 9,385 ratings — published 2019
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The Stories of English The Stories of English (Paperback)
by (shelved 143 times as language)
avg rating 4.05 — 1,434 ratings — published 2004
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The Story of Human Language The Story of Human Language (Audio CD)
by (shelved 142 times as language)
avg rating 4.41 — 3,123 ratings — published 2004
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Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter — Then, Now, and Forever Nine Nasty Words: English in the Gutter — Then, Now, and Forever (Kindle Edition)
by (shelved 140 times as language)
avg rating 3.94 — 4,309 ratings — published 2021
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The Loom of Language: An Approach to the Mastery of Many Languages The Loom of Language: An Approach to the Mastery of Many Languages (Paperback)
by (shelved 135 times as language)
avg rating 4.16 — 397 ratings — published 1943
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The Language Hoax: Why the World Looks the Same in Any Language The Language Hoax: Why the World Looks the Same in Any Language (Hardcover)
by (shelved 133 times as language)
avg rating 3.73 — 1,448 ratings — published 2014
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The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary The Meaning of Everything: The Story of the Oxford English Dictionary (Paperback)
by (shelved 129 times as language)
avg rating 3.99 — 5,261 ratings — published 2003
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Babel No More: The Search for the World's Most Extraordinary Language Learners Babel No More: The Search for the World's Most Extraordinary Language Learners (Hardcover)
by (shelved 129 times as language)
avg rating 3.54 — 1,481 ratings — published 2012
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In Other Words In Other Words (Hardcover)
by (shelved 129 times as language)
avg rating 3.75 — 15,736 ratings — published 2015
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Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes: Life and Language in the Amazonian Jungle Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes: Life and Language in the Amazonian Jungle (Hardcover)
by (shelved 128 times as language)
avg rating 3.97 — 6,092 ratings — published 2008
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On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft (Mass Market Paperback)
by (shelved 128 times as language)
avg rating 4.34 — 318,016 ratings — published 2000
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The First Word: The Search for the Origins of Language The First Word: The Search for the Origins of Language (Hardcover)
by (shelved 125 times as language)
avg rating 3.73 — 1,056 ratings — published 2007
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The Horologicon: A Day's Jaunt Through the Lost Words of the English Language The Horologicon: A Day's Jaunt Through the Lost Words of the English Language (Kindle Edition)
by (shelved 123 times as language)
avg rating 3.95 — 2,547 ratings — published 2012
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How Language Works: How Babies Babble, Words Change Meaning, and Languages Live or Die How Language Works: How Babies Babble, Words Change Meaning, and Languages Live or Die (Hardcover)
by (shelved 119 times as language)
avg rating 3.86 — 1,333 ratings — published 2006
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Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global Proto: How One Ancient Language Went Global (Hardcover)
by (shelved 117 times as language)
avg rating 4.19 — 2,500 ratings — published 2025
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George Orwell
“But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.”
George Orwell, Politics and the English Language

T.S. Eliot
“For last year's words belong to last year's language
And next year's words await another voice.”
T.S. Eliot, Four Quartets

More quotes...