The story of be : a verb's-eye view of the English language / David Crystal.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Crystal, David, 1941- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Be (The English word).

English language--Verb.

English language.

English language--Syntax.

Physical Description:

xii, 191 pages : illustrations ; 21 cm

Place of Publication:

Oxford : Oxford University Press, [2017]

Summary:

It's the most simple, unassuming, innocent-looking verb: 'to be'. Yet it is jam-packed with more different meanings, forms, and uses than any other English word. As he reveals be's multiple incarnations, David Crystal takes us to the heart of our flexible and changing language. He tells the intriguing story in 26 chapters, each linked to a particular usage. We meet circumstantial 'be' ('how are you?'), numerical 'be' ('two and two is four'), quotative 'be' ('so I was like, "wow"'), and ludic 'be' ('oh no he isn't!'), and a whole swarm of other meanings. Bringing the ideas to life are a host of examples from sources as varied as 'Beowulf', Jane Austen, pantomime, 'Hamlet' (of course), and 'Star Wars', with cartoons from Ed McLachlan and Punch peppered throughout. Full of fascinating nuggets of information, it is a book to delight any lover of words and language.

Contents:

To be or not to be : existential be

Being, as was : obituarial be

Time being : temporal be

Business is business : identifying be

I am to resign : obligational be

Has the doctor been? : visitational be

How are you? : circumstantial be

I've been with someone : sexual be

Two and two is four : numerical be

I might be being obsessive, but . . . : progressive be

My kids are all grown up : perfective be

Wannabes and has-beens : nominal be

That is to say : signifying be

You're cheeky, you are : repetitive be

Been and done it : eventive be

Have you been? : lavatorial be

So be it : factual be

I live in Wales, innit? : declarative be

So I was, like, 'wow ': quotative be

Woe is me : befalling be

All shall be well : membership be

How old are you? : chronological be

Is you is or is you ain't? : musical be

Oh no he isn't : ludic be

Lane closed ahead : missing be

It's just a book, is all : summarizing be.

ISBN:

9780198791096

0198791097

OCLC:

957546226