Joseph Piercy

How an Obscure Dialect Became the World's Most-Spoken Language

Story of English

"Symbols: A Universal Language looks at the story behind the world's most famous symbols, from the peace sign to the smiley. It shows just how much importance has been attached to the smallest and simplest of ideas and features over 40 of the most significant symbols from religion, politics and popular culture down the centuries. Did you know that 15 per cent of all tweets on twitter contain the hash tag symbol? That's over 41 million uses of # each day. Or that the 'smiley face' originated in Massachusetts in the 1960s? This fascinating book highlights the roles symbols have played throughout history and how they have shaped our understanding of the world."--Publisher description.

a universal language

Symbols

From logos to flags to punctuation marks, symbols are all around us. But we're so used to seeing them that we never question why, for instance, the heart symbol is anatomically incorrect or why the Bluetooth symbol is named after a tenth-century Danish king in need of dental work. Symbols shows just how much importance has been attached to the smallest and simplest of ideas, and features over forty of the most significant symbols from religion, politics and popular culture down the centuries. Did you know that 15% of all tweets on twitter contain the hashtag symbol? That's over 41 million uses of # each day. Or that the 'smiley face' originated in Massachusetts in the 1960s? This fascinating book highlights the roles symbols have played throughout history and how they have shaped our understanding of the world.

A Universal Language

English grammar is often said to be over-complicated and difficult to get to grips with but the truth is that, while there are certain rules that should be obeyed, the language evolves and develops over time - and quite rightly so. In this book, Joseph Piercy outlines the 25 rules that should be adhered to in written and spoken English, defining the rules themselves and then decoding them for the layman so that he or she understands each rule and how it has been used and developed over time. In doing so, the author highlights the most common misuses - or plain errors - in the language, such as apostrophes, 'who' and 'whom', and avoiding split infinitives and double negatives, while also setting the reader on to the right path to speaking and writing in good, plain English.

The Essential Guide to Good English

The 25 Rules of Grammar

Grammar in Bite-Sized Chunks

The Story of English illustrates the compelling history of how the relatively obscure dialects spoken by tribes from what are now Denmark, the Low Countries and northern Germany, became the most widely spoken language in the world, and of how that language evolved during the last two millennia. Chronologically ordered and divided into six main sections covering pre-Roman and Latin influences, the ascent of Old English, and the succession of Middle English, Early Modern and then Late Modern English to today's global language, this fascinating book also explores such factors as the history of the printing press, the works of Chaucer, the evolution of The American Dictionary of the English Language - commonly known as Webster's - and the magisterial Oxford English Dictionary, to the use of slang in today's speech and the coming of electronic messaging: language for a post-modern world.The Story of English is a great book for any lover not just of English, but of the history and development of language.

How an Obscure Dialect Became the Worlds Most-Spoken Language

The Story of English

From European favourites such as Mastichato Chios, which saved 2,000 Greeks from a bloody massacre at the hands of vengeful Turks, to legendary drinks such as Amarula, invented by African elephants; from classic cocktail ingredients like Midori, the bright green Japanese melon drink launched at the wrap party for Saturday Night Fever at Studio 54, to student stalwart Jägermeister, dreamt up by a confidant of Herman Göring and hugely popular among senior Nazis, Slippery Tipples tells the stories behind the word's most extraordinary drinks. Alongside a country-by-country guide to murky and mysterious booze and dozens of cocktail recipes is a series of easy to follow recipes for making your own liqueurs and spirits. If you would like to concoct your own fruit brandies or make a drop of traditional full-strength Pimms then this is the book for you. Joseph Piercy was born in Brighton. After spending far too long at university studying Russian Literature and Creative Writing, Joseph embarked upon a journey which took him to various parts of the world in an honest attempt to avoid anything faintly resembling a proper job. He has enjoyed an occasional drink or two along the road.

A Guide to Weird and Wonderful Spirits and Liqueurs

Slippery Tipples

English grammar is often said to be over-complicated and difficult to get to grips with but the truth is that, while there are certain rules that should be obeyed, the language evolves and develops over time - and quite rightly so. In this book, Joseph Piercy outlines the 25 rules that should be adhered to in written and spoken English, defining the rules themselves and then decoding them for the layman so that he or she understands each rule and how it has been used and developed over time. In doing so, the author highlights the most common misuses - or plain errors - in the language, while also setting the reader on to the right path to speaking and writing in good, plain English.

A Word a Day contains 365 carefully selected words that will enhance and expand your vocabulary, along with their meanings, origins and sample usage and fascinating word-related facts and trivia. It is estimated that on average an English-speaking adult has acquired a functioning vocabulary of 25,000 words by the time they reach middle age. That sounds like a lot - and more than enough for the daily purposes of communicating with each other in speech and writing. However, it is hard to feel quite so sanguine about our word power when considering those 25,000 words account for less than fifteen per cent of the total words in current usage in the English language. Furthermore, new words are created all the time and, as the word pool flourishes, can we afford to allow our vocabulary to stagnate? Logophile Joseph Piercy has the answer: a simple challenge to learn A Word a Day from this user-friendly onomasticon (that's a word list designed for a specific purpose - in case you were wondering .). Each of the 365 words have been carefully selected for their elegance and pertinence in everyday situations and every entry contains a clear and concise outline of meaning, origin and sample usage in context, alongside fascinating word related facts and trivia. A Word a Day is a treasure trove of fascination and fun for all language lovers - delve in and enhance your vocabulary.

365 Words to Augment Your Vocabulary

A Word a Day

From European favorites such as Mastichato Chios, which saved 2,000 Greeks from a bloody massacre at the hands of vengeful Turks, to legendary drinks such as Amarula, invented by African elephants; from classic cocktail ingredients like Midori, the bright green Japanese melon drink launched at the wrap party for Saturday Night Fever at Studio 54, to student stalwart Jagermeister, dreamt up by a confidant of Herman Goring and hugely popular among senior Nazis, Slippery Tipples tells the stories behind the world's most extraordinary drinks. Alongside a country-by-country guide to murky and mysterious booze and dozens of cocktail recipes is a series of easy to follow recipes for making your own liqueurs and spirits. If you would like to concoct your own fruit brandies or make a drop of traditional full-strength Pimms then this is the book for you.

A Guide to Weird & and Wonderful Spirits & Liqueurs

The Oxford English Dictionary contains 175,000 words in common usage and yet linguists estimate that a vocabulary of 3,000 is sufficient to cover ninety-five per cent of common usage in speech and print. Where have all those other words gone? The English language is a giant sponge, absorbing words from a multitude of different languages and cultures and yet it seems speakers of English are indolent at accessing the rich resources at our disposal. 1000 Words to Expand Your Vocabulary aims to ameliorate this issue by providing a fascinating lexicography to boost your word power. Alongside the elegant and archaic words are discussions of malapropisms and solecisms, words for which meaning has changed over time and words that have meanings often contrary to their common usage (and abusage). Each entry contains outlines of word origins, examples in context and a wealth of word related trivia. 1000 Words to Expand Your Vocabulary will help word lovers flaunt their prolixity without flouting the rules that govern correct meaning.

1000 Words to Expand Your Vocabulary

Symbols: A Universal Language looks at the story behind the world's most famous symbols, from the peace sign to the smiley. It shows just how much importance has been attached to the smallest and simplest of ideas and features over 40 of the most significant symbols from religion, politics and popular culture down the centuries. Did you know that 15% of all tweets on twitter contain the hash tag symbol? That's over 41 million uses of # each day. Or that the 'smiley face' originated in Massachusetts in the 1960s? This fascinating book highlights the roles symbols have played throughout history and how they have shaped our understanding of the world.

Calling all men - have you started buying your jeans for comfort rather than style? Do you prefer to watch the football in your favourite armchair rather than at the pub? Have you recently found yourself enjoying Gardeners' Question time or thinking about joining the National Trust? STOP! It's official. You are turning into your dad. This hilarious book is packed full of stories, advice, amusing quotes and more, designed to help men of all ages spot those unthinkable, yet inevitable signs that you are, in fact, becoming like your dad. An ideal book for those men who are old before their time, and those who are just getting on a bit, it will either have them embracing their inner dad or running in the opposite direction.

Joseph Piercy

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