Wordsmiths and Warriors explores the heritage of English through the places in Britain that shaped it. It unites the warriors, whose invasions transformed the language, with the poets, scholars, reformers, and others who helped create its character. The book relates a real journey. David and Hilary Crystal drove thousands of miles to produce this fascinating combination of English-language history and travelogue, from locations in south-east Kent to the Scottish lowlands, and from south-west Wales to the East Anglian coast. David provides the descriptions and linguistic associations, Hilary the full-colour photographs. They include a guide for anyone wanting to follow in their footsteps but arrange the book to reflect the chronology of the language. This starts with the Anglo-Saxon arrivals in Kent and in the places that show the earliest evidence of English. It ends in London with the latest apps for grammar. In between are intimate encounters with the places associated with such writers as Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Wordsworth; the biblical Wycliffe and Tyndale; the dictionary compilers Cawdrey, Johnson, and Murray; dialect writers, elocutionists, and grammarians, and a host of other personalities. Among the book's many joys are the diverse places that allow warriors such as Byrhtnoth and King Alfred to share pages with wordsmiths like Robert Burns and Tim Bobbin, and the unexpected discoveries that enliven every stage of the authors' epic journey.
From an acclaimed linguist, “part travelogue, part memoir, and part meditation on the intellectual and emotional underpinnings of language. . . . Priceless.” (Booklist) In this discursive jaunt through the groves and thickets of the English language, David Crystal creates an entertaining narrative account of his encounters with the language and its speakers. Woven from personal reflections, historical allusions, and observations of travelers, this fascinating journey through the language we use every day will have readers thinking twice about each word they speak. Starting in Wales and moving from England to San Francisco by way of, yes, Poland, Crystal encounters numerous linguistic side roads that he cannot resist exploring, from pubs to trains to Tolkien. Walking English is a captivating exploration of language by “one of England’s greatest living language commentators.” (The New Statesman) “In a conversational style that includes plenty of quirky facts, Crystal captures the exploratory, seductive, teasing, quirky, tantalizing nature of language study, and in doing so illuminates the fascinating world of words in which we live.” —Publishers Weekly “An informative, transformative trip into the mysterious, mutating, magical thicket of English.” (Kirkus Reviews) “Like passing the afternoon with a knowledgeable uncle.” —The Wall Street Journal “The Dr. Johnson of our age.” —The Sunday Herald “The book reads like a donnish Bill Bryson, a Bryson possessed with a maniacal passion for the Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language! . . . [A] compelling guide.” —Independent “Crystal proves an entertaining companion! It is pleasant to ramble with him along the byways of language.” —The Tablet
Have you emotionally suffered through sabotage and administrative loopholes in your place of employment, which resulted in wrongful discharge? Crystal E. Emerson has written an extraordinary and poignant documentation of truth. She has experienced the unethical behavior of administrators and other professionals while working in a public school district in the state of Pennsylvania. During the 20032004 academic year, Crystal experienced divided professional loyalties and lived and worked through this emotional dichotomy for 180 days of employment. This was a test of personal and emotional strength and a time to trust her instincts. The law assumes that public school administrators will behave in an ethical manner. The PSEA (Pennsylvania State Education Association) members assume that union representatives will support them during times of professional adversity. This book is a personal account, of a professional position, in which these two assumptions have failed to occur. There is a need for all public school administrators to abide by more strict laws. There is a need to implement a law that requires all observations and evaluations performed by public school administrators to video record the session; this video recording should be submitted to the state department of education due to a mandating law. Such a law would help teachers in extreme situations who have been subjected to heinous actions of administrative personnel. It is Crystals hope that her 180-day experience of emotional adversity, sabotage, harassment, and undermining has not occurred in vain. Never before has a book been so poignant and honest! This is an account of utter emotional and professional strength. You will be enticed as you enjoy reading 180 DAYS!
Andrea Staton, an Army Colonel, dedicates her career and her life, to finding the hidden doorway from Earth to the planet Amazon. She is expecting an advanced world that she can learn from, but she is surprised by what appears to be a primitive world that is at war with Gallegos, the closest planet to them. As she negotiates her way around Amazon, Gallegos, and further into their galaxy, she learns secrets that unlock the past not only of these worlds, but also of Earth and specifically her own ancestors. She must learn to be a warrior and to deal with the men here who she finds very different and much harder to resist than the men from Earth. Can she choose between the men that pursue her or will she choose to pursue the elusive man that resists the attraction they share? During her journey, she finds that not only can one person lead to great change, but also that sometimes you can't fight fate.
Welcome to Happily Ever Island, the most pixie-dusted vacation a Disney fan could ever imagine. Head-in-the-clouds romantic Madison and driven pragmatist Lanie are unlikely best friends, but the two would do anything for each other. So when Madison's life starts to fall apart, Lanie agrees to join Madison for the test run of Disney's newest resort experience during their first college spring break: Happily Ever Island—an immersive vacation destination, where guests can become their favorite Disney character for a week. Madison decides to go as the iconic princess herself, Cinderella, with Lanie as bow-wielding Merida. It's not Lanie's idea of fun, but she knows Madison needs her, and besides, she could use the break from her strenuous courseload anyway. Plus, maybe she'll get to shoot things. But once on the island, Lanie and Madison begin to drift apart. Madison finds herself either missing out or messing up all the enchanting moments she has dreamt her whole life about, and is forever running into their annoyingly perfect (and distractingly cute) vacation's coordinator, Val. Meanwhile, Lanie unexpectedly finds herself swept up in the magic of it all. She strikes up a secret romance with Prince Charming—but there's no telling whether he's just playing a part. In this delightful YA rom-com inspired by Disney fandom, get swept up in a whirlwind of laughter, tears, and more than just a touch of Disney magic.
If I Cant Be At Your Feet . . . a unique and inspiring account of life through a dogs eyes. Gunther Denali is a rambunctious, well-educated, wise, curious, and creative soul swirled into one vivacious black Labrador Retriever. He encourages us to live each day to the fullest and play as hard as we can because tomorrow is promised to no one. Whether Gunther is fishing for salmon on Lake Michigan, going to a Jimmy Buffett concert, exploring Indiana Universitys campus, or getting into the refrigerator anytime he is hungry, he dances through life and highlights our soul purpose.
If you were able to go back in time and change anything: Would you? Could you? Should you? (A GS-14 government agent) Richard Clary is simply going through the motions of life. He worked hard to reach his present position, but it actually means nothing without his lovely wife, Kathy by his side. She died of cancer a year ago. He and his daughter Crystal have struggled to continue without her. Crystal’s best friend Julia died shortly after at the hands of a serial killer. Rex Munday, the killer is still on the loose and free to kill again. Richard stumbles upon a time-travel object: the Sphere. By accident, he and Crystal transfigure to the past. An adventure of a lifetime is before them. Actualizing the opportunity, Richard and his daughter embark on a voyage through space and time to right the wrong in their lives. When they do visit the past, the killer is hot on their trail. Together they must survive and figure out how do you stop a serial killer?
When Sara walks in on the love of her life in bed with another girl, she swears to herself that shell never be hurt again. But not long after she picks up the pieces of her broken heart, she meets Rick and Kadentwo young, handsome men who both seem interested in her. Although Sara is determined to keep her promise to herself, she soon finds herself torn between them. Both Rick and Kaden seem equally amazing, and she knows that she could be happy with either one. Saras decision becomes much easier when her best friend, Anna Marie, admits her growing feelings for Rick. As she and Kaden fall head over heels for one another, Sara realizes that no one can make her happier. The only problem is that Kaden has a secretone that will change Saras life as she knows it. Will their love be strong enough to overcome Kadens news?
After a band of female vampires steal her boyfriend in Romania, Camille Howard vows to get him back before it's too late. Teaming up with world-renown vampire killer, Elijah Sargent, the two of them take on the creatures of the night in their own lair and win. But have they? Escaping the lair with Camille's boyfriend, Peter Griffin, and another captive male, the two of them soon discover they were too late. Peter is already a vampire and in the middle of the night, he viciously attacks Sargent. But Camille isn't ready to give up on Peter just yet. Just as Sargent is about to kill Peter, she interferes and saves the man she once loved. However, when a murderous rampage occurs in the village after Camille and Peter return, Camille realizes she has made a big mistake. Peter can't be cured and there's only one solution: she's got to hunt him down and slay him. Unfortunately Peter has his own murdering agenda, and Camille is about to find out she's not the hunter,...
Excellent sales of Crystal's widely-acclaimed earlier book, Shakespeare on Toast..Ideal short introduction or revision guide for A level and undergraduate students..Ben Crystal has a high profile amongst A Level students and teachers as he takes part in the Shakespeare Live programme of study days every year
In this fascinating survey of everything from how sounds become speech to how names work, David Crystal answers every question you might ever have had about the nuts and bolts of language in his usual highly illuminating way. Along the way we find out about eyebrow flashes, whistling languages, how parents teach their children to speak, how politeness travels across languages and how the way we talk show not just how old we are but where we’re from and even who we want to be.
When a magical evening lifts the veil between the mortal world and the fairy tale kingdom, Ivy Daniels enjoys a closer look at the characters of her childhood. But they are also looking at her. To save their world. Prince Duncan enlists the fascinating and infuriating Ivy to help him save the kingdom and his ailing father. Although reluctant at first, Ivy comes to realize that unless she helps, the precious world of her youth will disappear. Not to mention that her house has a revolving door for all magical creatures wishing to plead their case. Which is becoming really, really old. Armed with an attitude, a hypochrondiac sister, and a fairy tale bear, Ivy has her work cut out for her. Ivy Daniels used to believe in Fairy Tales. Now they believe in her.
This dictionary is the first comprehensive description of Shakespearean original pronunication (OP), enabling practitioners to deal with any queries about the pronunciation of individual words. It includes all the words in the First Folio, transcribed using IPA, and the accompanying website hosts sound files as a further aid to pronunciation. It also includes the main sources of evidence in the texts, notably all spelling variants (along with a frequency count for each variant) and all rhymes (including those occurring elsewhere in the canon, such as the Sonnets and long poems). An extensive introduction provides a full account of the aims, evidence, history, and current use of OP in relation to Shakespeare productions, as well as indicating the wider use of OP in relation to other Elizabethan and Jacobean writers, composers from the period, the King James Bible, and those involved in reconstructing heritage centres. It will be an invaluable resource for producers, directors, actors, and others wishing to mount a Shakespeare production or present Shakespeare's poetry in original pronunciation, as well as for students and academics in the fields of literary criticism and Shakespeare studies more generally.
The simplest of choices are often the most necessary. Eight magical objects. Eight adventurers. Eight stories. Across the world of the Western Shield, long hidden artefacts are found by those who adventure into the forgotten corners of history. From the boiling volcanoes of Holfursland, to the booming industrial port of Helvenica, to the dwarven city of Ironvale, the adventurers are drawn together to tell their stories, and how they came into possession of their particular item, in the Glass Dagger Corner Club. Featuring stories from Dave Deickman, Kate Longstone, Jonathan Maloney, Alan Kent, Thomas D Moore, Ashley Bravington, Crystal Roles, and Lucina Nyx, Tales of Ale and Chainmail (Vol 1) explores the dungeons, temples, and societies of the Western Shield world in pursuit of knowledge, answers, and lost family members.
Aurelia, the first princess born in Renalt in 200 years, is destined to marry the mysterious prince of Achelva, Valentin, but her treacherous lady-in-waiting, Lisette, plots to take her crown.
Many times I was called things which were not pleasing to hear, but I never let that get in my way. I had dreams of being somebody, but I pushed them to the side because anybody can have dreams. I always felt different about myself, but I couldnt explain it. Being told constantly that I was different from my mother never settled in until now. After finding myself, I made myself a promiseto never let myself be lost again. Diamond Crystal Hayes November 25, 2004
In a world full of good and evil, right and wrong, the powerful and the weak comes a tale of a struggle as old as time itself. Full of high adventure, love, and intrigue, it will be sure to grip you and never let go. For the past two years, their world has changed for the worst. However, nobody knew what darkness was about to come upon them. The order of Malaki was betrayed and the Dark King, Ze'ev, was set free upon the world once more. As darkness spread, with it came dragons spewing death and fire to those unfortunate to lay eyes upon them. But from the ashes arose those who would stand against the growing darkness. Tristan the mercenary and his companions Kera the elf, Hediah the cleric, Bratherious and Olek the Warrior join together to battle Ze'ev and his forces. On a quest to save their world from deceitfulness and evil, they discover that they first have to save themselves.
King Lucien Trimont of Westlandia has commanded his second son, Devon, to lead an army across the Great Sea and attack Eastlandia. As the inevitable war between these countries approaches, Prince Devon struggles with his identity and his love of peace. During his quest, he will be joined by a ragtag band of old friend and new acquaintances: Abby of the Cove, Rufus of Ish, and Paris of the Plains of Sur. His best friend, Aiden, a person of magic, must also play a leading role in Devon's expedition. These characters will all aid Devon in fighting a corrupt royal family, an evil Magus, and a powerful army General, all with their own wicked agendas. Great battles will be fought in The Rise of Landia, the outcome ever in doubt. Ultimately, a jeweled dagger will determine Devon's identity and play a major role in his fate, and the fate of the world in which he lives...Audhalialand.
Shakespearean author and actor Ben Crystal gives a unique introduction to King Lear with guidance on what to think about before, during and after you see or study the play.
Others from Earth join Andrea in the Gemini galaxy. Earth seems determined to have a team working toward their own ends, one way or the other. Will the new arrivals cause problems for Andrea and her new home or disappoint Earth and aid Andrea? What will they find as they head out into the galaxy, meet new races, and visit other planets? Will Andrea find she shares a special chemistry with men of other planets, and how will she deal with it if she does? Andrea continues to touch lives and positively influence others as she continues progress on Amazon, Gallegos, and other planets in the Gemini galaxy. Excerpt from chapter 7 from Andreas viewpoint: We were there and I looked at a planet that some might say had a rosy glow, but to me it looked like the red of an evil vampires eyes. It beckoned to me, almost as if it said, Come to me so I can destroy you. Yet I was helpless to stay away.
About the Book On a faraway planet, there lies the kingdom of Luna Heart, ruled over by a queen mother and her five daughters. Long ago, the king, the girls’ father, and their brother died of mysterious circumstances. Now young adults, the three eldest girls are set to be married off, while the youngest twins have the freedom to fall in love and marry whomever they wish. On the night of her twenty-fifth birthday, Diamond, the eldest, and her other two sisters, Galaxy and Selene, begin to unravel the truth about their mother and twin sisters, and their diabolical plan years in the making. Each with powers of her own, the sisters must now gather together to take down their mother and save not only themselves but their entire solar system. About the Author Crystal Brothers is a stay-at-home mom. She enjoys drawing, painting, writing, cooking, and spending time with her beautiful three boys and amazing fiancé.
A vital resource for scholars, students and actors, this book contains glosses and quotes for over 14,000 words that could be misunderstood by or are unknown to a modern audience. Displayed panels look at such areas of Shakespeare's language as greetings, swear-words and terms of address. Plot summaries are included for all Shakespeare's plays and on the facing page is a unique diagramatic representation of the relationships within each play.
As he walked through the castle to search for his daughter, he came upon a room whose door had a name written on it; the name was Mirabelle. His heart started to beat fast as he pushed the door open. His eyes saw the coffin sitting in the room, and he began to realize that he was in his dream that he had been having for so long. He began to pray outside of the room and then entered and closed his eyes. He stepped to the coffin slowly and laid his hand on it; he wept with pain and agony in his heart. He then opened the coffin and grabbed Mirabelle with his eyes still closed. When he got her over his shoulder, he began to rub her on her back and pray for her because he knew that’s what she would want. A few minutes later, he heard a small voice say, “Hi, Daddy.” He had everything a king could have ever wanted, but his task was far greater than he expected. Running a kingdom blind is what King Hector had to do. Keeping his spiritual life balanced with a wife and child, not knowing whom to trust and who were backstabbers—all while trying to regain his eyesight, but behind everything, he’s going through, there’s a reason.
Sportswriter Miranda Penney knows all about men with balls and big sticks, but she hits all the wrong notes when she finds herself reluctantly falling for rock star Lucas Fletcher. No stranger to the pitfalls of dating a celebrity, Miranda would rather shun true love than risk having her heart broken by the one man with whom she might find it. The daughter of an African-American baseball player who frequently cheated on her beautiful, accomplished Brazilian mother, Miranda also bears the wounds of having been cheated on by the ballplayer she herself dated. Although she can't deny her attraction to Lucas, Miranda can't force herself to accept the love the handsome Welshman wants to give her. Their careers keep them surrounded by gorgeous, wealthy men and women of every color and description, but for Lucas and Miranda, when it comes to love, race doesn't matter. . .but fidelity and trust do,and those are the two things Lucas is determined to teach Miranda to believe in.
Now in its third edition, The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language provides the most comprehensive coverage of the history, structure and worldwide use of English. Fully updated and expanded, with a fresh redesigned layout, and over sixty audio resources to bring language extracts to life, it covers all aspects of the English language including the history of English, with new pages on Shakespeare's vocabulary and pronunciation, updated statistics on global English use that now cover all countries and the future of English in a post-Brexit Europe, regional and social variations, with fresh insights into the growing cultural identities of 'new Englishes', English in everyday use with new sections on gender identities, forensic studies, and 'big data' in corpus linguistics, and digital developments, including the emergence of new online varieties in social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. Packed with brand new colour illustrations, photographs, maps, tables and graphs, this new edition is an essential tool for a new generation of twenty-first-century English language enthusiasts.
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