Amglish

One of the world's leading linguists recently wrote: "We may be seeing the birth of a new language as yet without a name." He was referencing the new informal mixture of English and other languages being freely formed around the world, with little effortto conform to prescribed rules of grammar, syntax, or spelling. Amglish in, Like, Ten Easy Lessons: A Celebration of the New World Lingo, by Arthur Rowse with illustrations by John Doherty, offers both a name for this new language and an enjoyableguide on how one can learn to use the language through ten easy "lessons." The authors describe how Amglish, or American English influenced by online grammar and syntax, has begun to dominate our global language. Featuring an ironic manual on how to usethis developing language, Amglish is a light and highly entertaining addition to the recent literature on grammar and punctuation. Illustrated with original drawings throughout, the book shows readers how to improve their Amglish and have fun doingso.

Sprung from a prison in the centre of a star, the universe's last criminal is employed to kill the population of a planet. It is a crime that will tear apart an interstellar utopia. Keeping ahead of detection and preparing the crime, the killer voyages to numerous worlds and hones the instincts required for murder. And wonders who is behind the contract. Roberts' new novel is an extraordinary fusing of ideas, exotic locations, personal drama and an enquiry into the nature of crime in a society that thinks it has forgotten how to commit it.

Among English-speaking nations, the United States of America is as insular and unique as the Earth is compared to Mars. Within its borders it has a unique fusion of cultures; it has its own complex legal system; a sometimes frustrating political system based on constitutional checks and balances; its own traditions; its own food and ... its own variation of the English language. Which brings us to the purpose of this book: To show (hopefully in an accessible way) how the English language and culture of America diverged from the English language and culture of the English. And how, no matter how hard any country tries to resist, Planet Earth will eventually end up with one world language - a form of English uniquely fashioned by its most active guardians and developers: the Americans. Welcome to Amglish: Two nations divided by a common language (but united in their ability to tease each other about their respective versions of it)! This is the ultimate cultural and linguistic survival guide for tourists and business travelers alike; the essential reference book to avoid making simple but shocking mistakes on either side of the Atlantic; the place where you can learn why Americans play a game called soccer, while most of the rest of the world plays a game called football (but not the American variety); the place where we reveal how the influence for the American national anthem was a mixture of bombs bursting in air and bawdy beer-soaked ale-houses. And we also examine the contradiction whereby many Americans revere God's work with oceans and sunsets, but think he did a lousy job on various human body parts. The book also contains a comprehensive reference section that includes: The differences in pronunciation between American-English and British-English; Words that sound the same but are spelled differently; Words that look and sound the same, but which have different meanings from one side of the Atlantic to the other; and the biggest section of all, the "Amglish to Britglish" translator.

For vacationers and business people crossing the Atlantic for the first time, the differences between the two forms of English quickly become apparent - and those differences turn out to be far greater than you imagined before you stepped onto the aircraft. When they ask their British hosts to use the bathroom, American visitors to the UK may be surprised to be directed to a room with a bath - but not necessarily a toilet. British visitors to Florida may be horrified when their resort check-in agent offers them a complimentary fanny pack. In this lighthearted guide to the common language that divides us, you will find out why. (The AMGLISH Dictionary is edited and abridged from the book, AMGLISH: Two Nations Divided by a Common Language, by Mike Powell).

This special four-book bundle collects the first three books in the acclaimed, award-winning Birder Murder Mystery series. Includes: A Siege of Bitterns Inspector Domenic Jejeune’s success has made him a poster boy for the U.K. police service. The problem is Jejeune doesn’t really want to be a detective at all; he much prefers watching birds. Recently reassigned to the small Norfolk town of Saltmarsh in the heart of Britain’s premier birding country, Jejeune’s worlds collide when he investigates the grisly murder of a prominent ecological activist. To unravel this mystery, Jejeune must deal with unwelcome public acclaim, the mistrust of colleagues, and his own insecurities. In the case of the Saltmarsh birder murders, the victims may not be the only casualties. A Pitying of Doves Why would a killer ignore expensive jewellery and take a pair of turtledoves as the only bounty. This is only one of the questions that piques Jejeune’s interest after a senior attaché with the Mexican Consulate is found murdered alongside the director of a local bird sanctuary. The fact that the director’s death has opened up a full-time research position studying birds hasn’t eluded Jejeune either. Could this be the escape from policing that the celebrated detective has been seeking? A Cast of Falcons A man falling to his death from a remote cliff sets off a high-stakes chase for Inspector Domenic Jejeune, who must protect his fugitive brother and pursue a maddening foe, while any misstep could bring down wrath from above on Jejeune, his family, and the entire police force. A Shimmer of Hummingbirds (New!) The desperate departure of his fugitive brother has left Chief Inspector Jejeune rattled, and those around him nursing lingering suspicions. When evidence surfaces that may prove his brother’s innocence, Jejeune decides to take a leave of absence to pursue it. But his replacement looks as if he may want the position to be more than temporary.