{"product_id":"the-story-of-be-a-verbs-eye-view-of-the-english-language-9780198791096","title":"The Story of Be: A Verb's-Eye View of the English Language","description":"It's the most simple, unassuming, innocent-looking verb: \u003cem\u003eto be\u003c\/em\u003e. Yet it is jam-packed with more different meanings, forms, and uses than any other English word. As he reveals be's multiple incarnations, David Crystal takes us to the heart of our flexible and changing language. He tells the intriguing story in 26 chapters, each linked to a particular usage. We meet circumstantial \u003cem\u003ebe\u003c\/em\u003e (how are you?), numerical \u003cem\u003ebe\u003c\/em\u003e (two and two is four), quotative \u003cem\u003ebe\u003c\/em\u003e (so I was like, 'wow'), and ludic \u003cem\u003ebe\u003c\/em\u003e (oh no he isn't!), and a whole swarm of other meanings. Bringing the ideas to life are a host of examples from sources as varied as \u003cem\u003eBeowulf\u003c\/em\u003e, Jane Austen, pantomime, \u003cem\u003eHamlet\u003c\/em\u003e (of course), and \u003cem\u003eStar Wars\u003c\/em\u003e, with cartoons from Ed McLachlan and Punch peppered throughout. Full of fascinating nuggets of information, it is a book to delight any lover of words and language.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Hardcover\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Oxford University Press, USA\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/01\/2017\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780198791096\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 208\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.70lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 7.80h x 5.30w x 0.80d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eReview Citations: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e 05\/01\/2017\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"David Crystal","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42021807521973,"sku":"9780198791096","price":19.54,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0473\/0804\/6492\/products\/img_79f7c055-fe9a-479d-bc4b-5e78580314ab.jpg?v=1649300273","url":"https:\/\/pastforward.org\/products\/the-story-of-be-a-verbs-eye-view-of-the-english-language-9780198791096","provider":"Past Forward","version":"1.0","type":"link"}