Americanisms and Briticisms; with other essays on other isms

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Matthews, Brander, 1852-1929

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"Americanisms and Briticisms; with other essays on other isms" by Brander Matthews is a collection of essays written in the late 19th century. The book explores the distinctions and peculiarities of American English compared to British English, while reflecting on the evolution of language in response to cultural changes across different regions, including Australia and Canada. Matthews discusses the ongoing linguistic debates sparked by regional expressions, spelling variations, and the broader cultural implications of these differences. The beginning of the text introduces the topic of how various English-speaking regions have developed their unique vocabulary and phrases, often as a result of new socio-cultural experiences that necessitate fresh linguistic expressions. Matthews references contemporary literature, specifically a novel featuring Australian characters, to illustrate the confusion that can arise from unfamiliar terms. He also considers how historical grievances and literary criticism have shaped attitudes towards American English, highlighting a sense of pride in American linguistic identity while critiquing British perspectives. The opening thus sets the stage for a thoughtful exploration of language as a living entity that is shaped by its speakers' experiences and societal contexts. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Contents:

Americanisms and Briticisms

As to "American spelling"

The literary independence of the United States

The centenary of Fenimore Cooper

Ignorance and insularity

The whole duty of critics

Three American essayists

Dissolving views.

Credits:

Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)

Notes:

Reading ease score: 60.9 (8th & 9th grade). Neither easy nor difficult to read.

Release date is 2011-08-10