The Life of Guy

£ 14.44

Author: Allan (Professor of English and Executive Secretary (CAO) of the American Dialect Society Metcalf

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SKU: 9780190669201 Category:

Description

Had you said “What a guy!” in 17th-century England, anyone would have understood you were admiring a flaming effigy of Guy Fawkes of the Gunpowder Treason Plot. How times have changed! In America and, indeed, most of the English-speaking world, “guy” is so embedded in daily speech that we scarcely notice how odd it truly is: a singular “guy” referring to males only, a plural “guys” encompassing the entire human race. The journey from England’s greatest villain to America’s favorite second-person plural pronoun offers a story rich with surprising and unprecedented turns. Through his trademark breezy, highly readable style, acclaimed writer Allan Metcalf takes us deep into this history, uncovering the intrigue, murderous plots, and torture out of which the word emerged in 1605. From there, it’s a thrilling run through 17th-century England, bloody religious controversies, and across the Atlantic to America, where the word took on a life of its own, exploding into popular culture and day-to-day conversation. From the disappearance ofshow more

Additional information

Weight 306 g
Author

Allan (Professor of English and Executive Secretary (CAO) of the American Dialect Society Metcalf

Publisher

Oxford University Press Inc

Binding

Hardback

ISBN-10

0190669209

Dimensions

135 x 186 x 23

Language

English

Country of Pub

United States

Book Condition

New

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