Begat
The King James Bible & the English Language
by David Crystal
Paperback
Price: £8.99
Publisher:Oxford University Press (OUP)
Published:18 August 2011
ISBN:978-0-199-69518-8
GoodBookStall Review:
Hardback, ISBN 978-0-199-58585-4, £14.99, published october 2010
Truly a labour of love by a lover and scholar of the English language, and an absorbing read for anyone who loves words. It would make a great gift.
David Crystal has gone through the King James Bible, 1611 publication, with a fine toothcomb searching for phrases that have become part of the English language. Not just a list of these phrases but a phrase by phrase examination of their source, whether they came from other translations of the Bible originally, or perhaps had been in circulation long before King James’ time. A fascinating book that will long outlast the first reading to become a book to dip into whenever a phrase catches our attention in general use. ‘How are the mighty fallen’, ‘Wheels within wheels’ and so many more, you will be surprised how many we all know and yet we give no thought to their origin.
Reviewer: Mary Bartholomew (05/10/10)
Hardback, ISBN 978-0-199-58585-4, £14.99, published october 2010
Truly a labour of love by a lover and scholar of the English language, and an absorbing read for anyone who loves words. It would make a great gift.
David Crystal has gone through the King James Bible, 1611 publication, with a fine toothcomb searching for phrases that have become part of the English language. Not just a list of these phrases but a phrase by phrase examination of their source, whether they came from other translations of the Bible originally, or perhaps had been in circulation long before King James’ time. A fascinating book that will long outlast the first reading to become a book to dip into whenever a phrase catches our attention in general use. ‘How are the mighty fallen’, ‘Wheels within wheels’ and so many more, you will be surprised how many we all know and yet we give no thought to their origin.
Reviewer: Mary Bartholomew (05/10/10)
