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The Language Wars: A History of Proper English (2011)

av Henry Hitchings

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The English language is a battlefield. Since the age of Shakespeare, arguments over correct usage have been acrimonious, and those involved have always really been contesting values - to do with morality, politics and class. THE LANGUAGE WARS examines the present state of the conflict, its history and its future. Above all, it uses the past as a way of illuminating the present. Moving chronologically, the book explores the most persistent issues to do with English and unpacks the history of 'proper' usage. Where did these ideas spring from? Which of today's bugbears and annoyances are actually venerable? Who has been on the front line in the language wars? THE LANGUAGE WARS examines grammar rules, regional accents, swearing, spelling, dictionaries, political correctness, and the role of electronic media in reshaping language. It also takes a look at such niggling concerns as the split infinitive, elocution and text messaging. Peopled with intriguing characters such as Jonathan Swift, H. W. Fowler and George Orwell as well as the more disparate figures of Lewis Carroll, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Lenny Bruce, THE LANGUAGE WARS is an essential volume for anyone interested in the state of the English language today or intrigued about its future.… (mer)

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_The Language Wars_ is a wide-ranging discussion of perceptions of English usage. Hitchings strenuously attempts to mediate between the prescriptivist and descriptivist camps, implying that those who take strong positions are usually proven wrong by history.

I especially appreciate his explanations of how usage "rules" were developed and defended by the high priests of grammar. What we think of as iron-clad grammar rules can often prove a barrier to clarity and understanding;"correct" pronoun antecedent agreement, for example, sometimes leads to confusing sentences. As an English teacher, this will lead me to be less dogmatic and more flexible with my students' writing and speaking. Ultimately, the standards should be:

1. Is your use of language intelligible?
2. Is your use of language the best way to express your ideas?
3. Does your use of language reflect meaningful, complex, higher-order thinking? (

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jonbrammer | Jul 1, 2023 |

The many fights over English grammar: what it means, what it describes and who should decide. It often reads like a literary food fight--but manages to contain some useful information hidden within the discussions/history of who should speak what and when. It's almost interesting how so many people think English should be modified to imitate Latin (or even Greek). The weakness of the book is that Hitchings is insightful and entertaining...in a rather eruditely playful tone of voice. I found myself doing a double-take when I read his comment on the current political tendency to soften/misdirect the public's comprehension of what is being said: "We have become pitifully familiar with government-endorsed sophistry and the flatulent rhetoric of politicians and political pundits." Sadly, this may restrict his reading audience to the select few that are more than willing to disagree with him (away from the many that need to read him). I found the book, for the most part, useful & entertaining; but occasionally tedious, for all the information. Not everyone will take the time to pay attention to the history of English and grammar--and will never see just how easily we're being manipulated as a side-effect of this particular "war" today. (

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majackson | Aug 21, 2020 |

Most of the chapters were entertaining although I did get a little bogged down in the section about punctuation. Hitchings shows a sense of humour in his writing and I did learn a few things about English that I didn't already know. I was amused to find Joseph Priestley figuring in a section about whether an Academy to police English was desirable. (He apparently thought such a thing to be unnecessary and futile.)

hailelib | Nov 2, 2013 |

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The English language is a battlefield. Since the age of Shakespeare, arguments over correct usage have been acrimonious, and those involved have always really been contesting values - to do with morality, politics and class. THE LANGUAGE WARS examines the present state of the conflict, its history and its future. Above all, it uses the past as a way of illuminating the present. Moving chronologically, the book explores the most persistent issues to do with English and unpacks the history of 'proper' usage. Where did these ideas spring from? Which of today's bugbears and annoyances are actually venerable? Who has been on the front line in the language wars? THE LANGUAGE WARS examines grammar rules, regional accents, swearing, spelling, dictionaries, political correctness, and the role of electronic media in reshaping language. It also takes a look at such niggling concerns as the split infinitive, elocution and text messaging. Peopled with intriguing characters such as Jonathan Swift, H. W. Fowler and George Orwell as well as the more disparate figures of Lewis Carroll, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Lenny Bruce, THE LANGUAGE WARS is an essential volume for anyone interested in the state of the English language today or intrigued about its future.

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