"A linguistic exploration of the speech habits we love to hate-and why our "um"s, "like"s, and "you know"s actually make us better communicators. Do you hate that you say "like" too much? Do you go over your email drafts to remove excess "so"s and "really"s? Do you wish your presentation at work wasn't so full of "um"s and "uh"s? Do you get tripped up by slang, overly familiar greetings, or new pronouns? What if these features of our speech weren't...

A lively and factual account of the rise of English as a global language that explores the whys and wherefores of the history, current status and future potential of English as the most international language of communication.

What ties Americans to one another? What unifies a nation of citizens with different racial, religious and ethnic backgrounds? These were the dilemmas faced by Americans in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries as they sought ways to bind the newly United States together. In A is for American, award-winning historian Jill Lepore portrays seven men who turned to language to help shape a new nations character and boundaries. From Noah Websters attempts...

"Do you know a child that struggles to be flexible? Is it hard for them to express their emotions calmly using language--often getting upset instead? They might also have trouble making friends or telling you what they did during the day. These skills are needed in life! Wouldn't it be great if there was a way that you could support growth in these areas that was woven into everyday interactions and social opportunities? That is what this book is...