Product Description

From empty cliche to meaningless jargon, dangling participle to sentences without verbs, the English language is reeling. It is under attack from all sides. Politicians dupe us with deliberately evasive language. Bosses worry about impacting the bottom line while they think out of the box. Academics talk obscure mumbo jumbo. Journalists and broadcasters, who should know better, lazily collaborate. John Humphrys exposes the depths to which our beautiful language has sunk and offers many examples of the most common atrocities. He also dispenses some sensible guidance on how to use simple, clear and honest language. He knows he may be hanged on his own gallows, but is prepared to take the risk in support of his beloved Campaign for Real English.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #91848 in Books
• Published on: 2004-11-08
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 192 pages

Ann Widdecombe, New Statesman
'for all those who care about the English language'

Review
'Humphrys is passionate about language – and very funny too' (Rod Liddle )

'Greatly enjoyable' (Simon Hoggart, Guardian )

'for all those who care about the English language' (Ann Widdecombe, New Statesman )

'It is always exhilarating to read a book which says what so many of us think' (Jonathan Keates, Spectator )

'Timely and lively' (Sunday Telegraph )

'Let us be very clear about this from the start: John Humphrys is a Good Thing' (Evening Standard )

'the Jack Russell of the Today programme has now chosen to take some well aimed snaps at solecism, jargon, cliche and weasel words... It is always exhilarating to read a book which says what so many of us think' (Spectator )

'I commend Citizen Humphrys' (Daily Mail )

'You will have fun with this book' (Guardian )

'an exquisite sensitivity to the misuse of the English language' (The Sunday Times )

About the Author
In a journalistic career spanning forty-five years John Humphrys has reported from all over the world for the BBC and presented its frontline news programmes on both radio and television. He has won a string of national awards and been described as a 'national treasure' - all of which he attributes to longevity and luck. He presents Radio 4's Today programme and BBC2's Mastermind.

Customer Reviews

A very entertaining read
I have just read the other Amazon reviews of this book and I'd like to start by saying that I find it exasperating when people criticize an author for giving their personal opinion when that author states quite clearly at the start of the book that they are giving their personal opinion!

This is John Humphry's view of the sad decline in the correct use of English. He's not an academic, so this is not a rule book (though you may well learn something - I certainly did). He's an experienced journalist and broadcaster, and as such he is an expert at spotting when people use fancy words to say very little. There are some fantastic examples in here of advertising jargon and political guff. And he's not afraid to name and shame the worst offenders. The section on business-speak gives a mind-boggling selection of non-words. I have to confess that I now regularly threaten to 'de-individuate' my sons when they don't get ready quickly enough in the morning.

Humphrys accepts that English is constantly evolving and he acknowledges that he is intensely irritated by some linguistic developments that are happily accepted by others. There is certainly an element of Grumpy Old Man-ism here but personally I find that quite entertaining.

In summary this book is a personal view of the abuse and misuse of English. Keep that in mind and you won't go far wrong.

Funny, Intelligent and sane
This has been a great read and is more than just waking up with John Humphrys in the morning. The book is funny and sharp in its capturing the essence of what our language is going through. I loved the bits where he takes the language of politicians and exposes the conscious manipulation. It's more than about politics;everyone who misuses language (and there are a lot of them about including himself) gets caught in his sights. But it's not a pedantic book. It's very entertaining.

lost for words
This really is a good book. I thought at first it was going to be a Humphry's rant, which it is but it is also very much more.The first half of the book is about mangling language. Humphreys cares passionately that language should be used to communicate and it upsets him when it does the opposite ,either deliberately or through neglect. He uses examples, written and spoken, from a variety of sources to illustrate mangling. however, I think the book is best when Humphrys shows us how politicians,advertisers and others deliberately mangle language to hide the truth or to communicate an idea so losely that they cannot be held accountable for it. He shows how language can be used to communicate along a spectrum running from clarity to deception. But he's not a pendant. He believes that almost every language rule can be broken as long as it is clear. Readers will also discover that they are not the only ones to listen to the weather forecast but hear nothing. Humphrys manages all of this with great humour.