Just A Phrase I'm Going Through: My Life in Language

Kidnapping, attempted assassination, espionage…not the answers you’d expect to the question ‘what happens when you become a linguist?’

But now, reflecting on a long and hugely successful career at the forefront of the field of English Language and Linguistics, David Crystal answers this question and offers us a special look behind the scenes at the adventures, rewards, challenges and pitfalls of his life in language.

Both an autobiography and a highly accessible introduction to the field of linguistics, Just a Phrase I’m Going Through illuminates and entertains us with its many insights into the ever-fascinating subject of language.

David Crystal is synonymous with language, both as a great populariser and linguistic pioneer, and his contribution to the field is unparalleled. This audio book is not just for students and teachers but for all lovers of language.

4 discs. Running time: 5 hours approx. Abridged.

Kidnapping, attempted assassination, espionage … not the answers you’d expect to the question ‘what happens when you become a linguist?’

But now, reflecting on a long and hugely successful career at the forefront of the field of English Language and Linguistics, David Crystal answers this question and offers us a special look behind the scenes at the adventures, rewards, challenges and pitfalls of his life in language.

Both an autobiography and a highly accessible introduction to the field of linguistics, Just a Phrase I’m Going Through illuminates and entertains us with its many insights into the ever-fascinating subject of language.

David Crystal is synonymous with language, both as a great populariser and linguistic pioneer, and his contribution to the field is unparalleled. This is a book not just for students and teachers but for all lovers of language.

For more about David Crystal at Routledge, visit: www.routledge.com/textbooks/9780415485746.

Library Journal

Prolific linguist Crystal tells more than his own story, remarkable for his role as an independent scholar. Infused with the title's humor and suspense, Crystal's narratives also sketch his field. The stories answer both professional and personal questions, such as, for example, What is a linguist? What do linguists do? What kind of linguist are you? What prepared you for and drew you to the field? How many languages do you speak? What is your family background? And why do you wear a beard? Chronological organization of 19 chapters spreads topics like family life over many chapters. Crystal embraces this storytelling challenge to mingle professional anecdotes with family experiences. He gradually reveals heritage bridging Northern Ireland, North Wales, Liverpool, London, Catholicism, and Judaism. For example, Chapter 17 describes an emotional encounter with his father and also a piece on choosing how to refer to the former Soviet Union in late 1991 as an encyclopedia editor. VERDICT A unique, lengthy, and substantial autobiography, this is recommended for academics and memoir fanatics.—Marianne Orme, Des Plaines P.L., IL

David Crystal received an OBE for services to the English language in 1995, and was made a Fellow of the British Academy (FBA) in 2000. He is patron of the International Association of Teachers of English as a Foreign Language (IATEFL) and the Association for Language Learning (ALL). Having published over 100 books, covering a diversity of language topics, his most recent publications include Txtng: the gr8 db8 (2008) and Thinking on my Words: Exploring Shakespeare’s Language (2008). He has been a freelance writer, lecturer, and broadcaster since 1984 and continues his work with language from his home in Holyhead, North Wales.