
That's The Way It Crumbles: The American Conquest of the English Language (Hardback)
Matthew Engel (author)
£16.99
Hardback
288 Pages /
Published: 08/06/2017
- Not available
Are we tired of hearing that fall is a season, sick of being offered fries and told about the latest movie? Yeah.
Have we noticed the sly interpolation of Americanisms into our everyday speech? You betcha. And are we outraged? Hell, yes.
But do we do anything? Too much hassle.
Until now.
In That's The Way It Crumbles Matthew Engel presents a call to arms against the linguistic impoverishment that happens when one language dominates another. With dismay and wry amusement, he traces the American invasion of our language from the early days of the New World, via the influence of Edison, the dance hall and the talkies, right up to the Apple and Microsoft-dominated present day, and explores the fate of other languages trying to fend off linguistic takeover bids.
It is not the Americans' fault, more the result of their talent for innovation and our own indifference. He explains how America's cultural supremacy affects British gestures, celebrations and way of life, and how every paragraph and conversation includes words the British no longer even think of as Americanisms. Part battle cry, part love song, part elegy, this book celebrates the strange, the banal, the precious and the endangered parts of our uncommon common language.
'[An] acerbically witty and entertaining survey of the way that British becomes increasingly Americanised…" - The Sunday Times
Have we noticed the sly interpolation of Americanisms into our everyday speech? You betcha. And are we outraged? Hell, yes.
But do we do anything? Too much hassle.
Until now.
In That's The Way It Crumbles Matthew Engel presents a call to arms against the linguistic impoverishment that happens when one language dominates another. With dismay and wry amusement, he traces the American invasion of our language from the early days of the New World, via the influence of Edison, the dance hall and the talkies, right up to the Apple and Microsoft-dominated present day, and explores the fate of other languages trying to fend off linguistic takeover bids.
It is not the Americans' fault, more the result of their talent for innovation and our own indifference. He explains how America's cultural supremacy affects British gestures, celebrations and way of life, and how every paragraph and conversation includes words the British no longer even think of as Americanisms. Part battle cry, part love song, part elegy, this book celebrates the strange, the banal, the precious and the endangered parts of our uncommon common language.
'[An] acerbically witty and entertaining survey of the way that British becomes increasingly Americanised…" - The Sunday Times
Publisher: Profile Books Ltd
ISBN: 9781781256688
Number of pages: 288
Weight: 470 g
Dimensions: 222 x 144 x 28 mm
Edition: Main
MEDIA REVIEWS
An acerbically witty and entertaining survey ... a work of stubborn persistence, or resistance. * Sunday Times *
One of journalism's great exponents of English English. -- Peter Preston * Guardian *
Throughout his entertaining history, Engel argues for a stout forward defence against this onslaught of "cool" and "fun" and "you guys". -- Tim Adams * The Guardian *
Highly entertaining. * Spectator *
Engel [hunts] down his prey like a linguistic witchfinder-general ... short-tempered but consistently witty. -- John Sutherland * New Statesman *
Praise for Engel's England: 'Wry, rueful, funny, packed with knowledge, and, like all good reporting, entirely personal and subjective, it is simply the most enjoyable commentary on today's England that could be imagined. * Sunday Times *
Highly personal and very funny * London Review of Books *
The great pleasure in the book - for Engel as much as the reader - is in his love of the entertaining factual nugget * Financial Times *
Engel has the perfect light, humorous touch for the task. * New Statesman *
Immensely enjoyable... Engel is a wonderfully wry comic writer. * The Guardian *
One of journalism's great exponents of English English. -- Peter Preston * Guardian *
Throughout his entertaining history, Engel argues for a stout forward defence against this onslaught of "cool" and "fun" and "you guys". -- Tim Adams * The Guardian *
Highly entertaining. * Spectator *
Engel [hunts] down his prey like a linguistic witchfinder-general ... short-tempered but consistently witty. -- John Sutherland * New Statesman *
Praise for Engel's England: 'Wry, rueful, funny, packed with knowledge, and, like all good reporting, entirely personal and subjective, it is simply the most enjoyable commentary on today's England that could be imagined. * Sunday Times *
Highly personal and very funny * London Review of Books *
The great pleasure in the book - for Engel as much as the reader - is in his love of the entertaining factual nugget * Financial Times *
Engel has the perfect light, humorous touch for the task. * New Statesman *
Immensely enjoyable... Engel is a wonderfully wry comic writer. * The Guardian *
You may also be interested in...
Please sign in to write a review
Sign In / Register
Not registered? CREATE AN ACCOUNTCREATE A plus ACCOUNT
Sign In
Download the Waterstones App
Would you like to proceed to the App store to download the Waterstones App?
Click & Collect
Reserve online, pay on collection
Alternatively, for multiple items you may find it easier to add to basket, then pay online and collect in as little as 2 hours, subject to availability.
Alternatively, for multiple items you may find it easier to add to basket, then pay online and collect in as little as 2 hours, subject to availability.
Thank you for your reservation
Your order is now being processed and we have sent a confirmation email to you at
When will my order be ready to collect?
Following the initial email, you will be contacted by the shop to confirm that your item is available for collection.
Call us on or send us an email at
Unfortunately there has been a problem with your order
Please try again or alternatively you can contact your chosen shop on or send us an email at