The Secret History of the English Language

"The most outrageous book I have ever read, and one of the funniest."-The Oldie "Unusual, funny, and provocative. . . . This fascinating book is a useful investigation into the ways in which history is constructed and the dangers of 'unassailable' academic truths."- New Statesman "The best rewriting of history since 1066 And All That."-Fortean Times "Mind-blowing, incredibly entertaining stuff. . . . A well-written and funny book."-Daily Mail In a hugely enjoyable read, not to mention gloriously corrosive prose, M.J. Harper slashes and burns through the whole of accepted academic thought about the history of the English language. According to Harper: The English language does not derive from an Anglo-Saxon language. French, Italian, and Spanish did not descend from Latin. Middle English is a wholly imaginary language created by well-meaning but deluded academics. Most of the entries in the Oxford English Dictionary are wrong. And that's just the beginning. Part revisionist history, part treatise on the real origins of the English language, and part impassioned argument against academia, The Secret History of the English Language is essential reading for language lovers, history buffs, Anglophiles, and anyone who anyone who has ever thought twice about what they've learned in school. M.J. Harper is an applied epistemologist. He lives in London.