1
of
1
A Date with Language
Fascinating Facts, Events and Stories for Every Day of the Year
Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.
Check link for latest rating. ( 14 ratings, 3 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still
learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Summary
Read More
Format: Hardback
$5799
Unit price
/
Unavailable
AVAILABLE WITH SUPPLIER
Ships from our Auckland warehouse within 4-6 weeks
Found a better price? Request a price match
A Date with Language
$5799
Unit price
/
Unavailable
Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Latest News
The Play to Screen Report - 15/10/2026
Sacha has rounded up all the latest news from the world of toys, games, movies...
Marnie shares her tips for Spring!
Marnie is our garden expert and Lizzy kills every plant she brings home. We're getting...
My Favourite Thing About Bookish Puzzles
There's something special about seeing your favourite fictional worlds brought to life through beautiful artwork....
The Cultural Renaissance of Reading
There's something rather wonderful happening in the world of books at the moment. Reading is...
Story to Screen - 15/10/2026
It's been another big week in the world of book-to-screen adaptations! From exciting casting announcements...
See moreA collection of 366 witty and fascinating facts, events and stories about language, for every day of the year (with one extra for leap years).
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
feedback is welcome!
Description
A collection of 366 facts about language to enliven each day of the year.
In this ingenious and diverse collection of 366 stories, events and facts about language, David Crystal presents a selection of insights from literary and linguistic writers, poets and global institutions, together with the weird and wonderful creations of language enthusiasts to enliven each day of the year.
The day-by-day treatment illustrates the extraordinary breadth of the subject, from "Morse Code Day" to "Talk Like William Shatner Day", from forensic phonetics used to catch serial killers to heroines of speed reading, and covers writers from many different eras and cultures, including William Shakespeare, Oscar Wilde, Emily Dickinson, Toni Morrison, R. K. Narayan, Wole Soyinka and many more.
Some days focus on pronunciation, orthography, grammar or vocabulary. Others focus on the way language is used in science, religion, politics, broadcasting, publishing, the Internet and the arts. There are days that acknowledge the achievements of language study, such as in language teaching, speech therapy, deaf education and forensic science, as well as technological progress, from the humble pencil to digital software. Several days celebrate individual languages, such as those recognised as "official" by the United Nations, but not forgetting those spoken by small communities, along with their associated cultural identities.
A celebration of the remarkable creativity of all who have illuminated our understanding of language, A Date with Language is ideal for anyone wanting to add an extra point of interest to their language day.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
A Date with Language by David Crystal has been appreciated for its artful and meticulous approach to language. Readers value it both as a reference and as a source of enjoyment, finding each entry thoughtfully crafted and almost poetic. This slows the reader's pace, allowing for a deeper appreciation of content that blends education with pleasure.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781851246113
Publisher: Bodleian Library
Format: Hardback
Date Published: 12 October 2023
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Bodleian Library
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Width: 156.0mm
Height: 234.0mm
Weight: 562g
Pages: 400
Collections
About the Author
David Crystal is a writer, editor, lecturer and broadcaster on language, and honorary professor of linguistics at Bangor University. His many books include The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language (CUP 3rd edn 2010) and two historical explorations of English vocabulary for the Bodleian Library: We Are Not Amused (2017) and That's the Ticket for Soup (2020). He lives online at www.davidcrystal.com.
Also by David Crystal
View all-
Everyday Shakespeare
An absolutely joyous, gasp-out-loud achievement. - Stephen Fry Shakespeare's flame is infectious. An olympic torch, for us all, to be enlightened, words which share the shadow and light of humanity's hues. - LionHeart, artist, poet and BBC Radio London presenter Silver Medal Winner at the 2024 Nautilus Book Awards. Shakespeare had an ear and hand that was able to capture...Paperback$3999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
A Little Book of Language
A lively journey through the story of language, from an infant's first word to the languages of the internet. Language never leaves you alone. It's there in your head, helping you think. It's there to help you make relationships β and to break them. It's there to remind you who you are and where you come from. From the first...Paperback$2599Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 3-4 weeks -
Bookish Words & their Surprising Stories
The world of books has played a striking role in the history of English vocabulary. Book itself is one of the oldest words in the language, originating from boc in Old English, and appears in many commonly used expressions today such as by the book, bring to book, and bookworm, to name a few. With the arrival of printing, typesetting,...Hardback$3500Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Crystalβs Curiosity Cabinet
What do a comic alphabet, a glorious lipogram and a wellerism have in common? Or, an audit of accountants, an illusion of magicians, and an intrusion of spammers? And do you know how Shakespeare pronounced his name? Quirky, original, amusing and enlightening, this charming English Language Miscellany from David Crystal, one of the greatest British linguists of our time, offers...Hardback$3999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
William Tyndale and the English Language
This book is a pioneering exploration of Tyndale's enormous impact on the development of the English language.'Dearly beloved', 'say the word', 'the powers that be', 'for ever and ever' these familiar phrases and many more were set down in print for the first time by William Tyndale. For his groundbreaking English translation of the Bible, he deliberately chose to write...Hardback$5799Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Making a Point
This engaging history of punctuation (Wall Street Journal) is not only the first history of its kind, but a complete guide on how to use English punctuation. Behind every punctuation mark lies a thousand stories. The punctuation of English, marked with occasional rationality, is founded on arbitrariness and littered with oddities. For a system of a few dozen marks, it...Paperback$3299Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
That's the Ticket for Soup!
The vocabulary of past times, no longer used in English, is always fascinating, especially when we see how it was pilloried by the satirists of the day. Here we have Victorian high and low society, with its fashionable and unfashionable slang, its class awareness, and the jargon of steam engines, motor cars, and other products of the Industrial Revolution. Then...Hardback$4999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
How Language Works
How Language Works by David Crystal is a fascinating tour through the world of language from one of today's most renowned experts. This book ranges over everything from how children learn to read to what makes words rude or polite, from eyebrow flashes to whistling languages. Unlocking the secrets of communication in an accessible, entertaining way, this exhilarating book sheds...Paperback$1699Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
A Word for All Seasons
Silly season, spring chicken, Shrovetide, dog days, Halloween, wassail, Snowtober, Hogmanay, and over 100 other words and phrases are brought together here to show how seasonal vocabulary has become one of the most productive areas of the English lexicon. Words associated with spring, summer, autumn or fall, and winter, along with 'season' itself, have long been used creatively in such...Hardback$4499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
Everyday Shakespeare
An absolutely joyous, gasp-out-loud achievement. - Stephen Fry A cathedral of consciousness - Shakespeare's uncanny insight into human nature finds us, unearthed here. - LionHeart, artist, poet, and BBC Radio London presenter Shakespeare had an ear and hand that was able to capture our everyday thoughts and emotions, pin them to a page, and express them so well that still...Hardback$5000Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Gift of the Gab
A many-faceted exploration of spoken eloquence: how it works, how it has evolved, and how to tap its remarkable power. We all know eloquence when we hear it. But what exactly is it? And how might we gain more of it for ourselves? This entertaining and, yes, eloquent book illuminates the power of language from a linguistic point of view...Paperback$2899Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 3-4 weeks -
We Are Not Amused
Pronunciation governs our regional and social identity more powerfully than any other aspect of spoken language. No wonder, then, that it has attracted most attention from satirists. In this intriguing book, David Crystal shows how our feelings about pronunciation today have their origins in the way our Victorian predecessors thought about the subject, as revealed in the pages of the...Hardback$4499Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks
More from Education & Reference
View all-
Revenge of the Tipping Point
Twenty-five years after the publication of his groundbreaking first book, Malcolm Gladwell returns with a brand new volume that reframes the lessons of The Tipping Point in a startling and revealing light. What does the heartbreaking fate of the cheetah tell us about the way we raise our children? Why do elite universities care so much about sports? What is...Paperback$2999Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableAvailableShips in 4-6 weeks -
The Body Keeps the Score
The Body Keeps the Score by Dr Bessel van der Kolk is a compelling and compassionate exploration of the deep-seated impact of trauma on the human body and mind. This groundbreaking work delves into the complex causes of trauma and paints a vivid picture of the revolutionary treatments that are enabling countless individuals to reclaim their lives filled with purpose...Paperback$2400Elsewhere:$3000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseSong of the Birds
A stunning and panoramic history of native birds in Aotearoa, from the bestselling author of The Meaning of Trees For millions of years, the song of the birds echoed throughout Aotearoa, with no one around to hear it. While the arrival of humans would transform their story forever - birds may have changed us even more. In this beautiful and...Hardback$4499Elsewhere:$5500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New ReleaseLucky You're Tough
Lucky You're Tough chronicles the early life of helicopter pilot and NZSAS soldier Mark Law, from growing up in the rural wilds of WhangamΕmona through to surviving a series of life-threatening events that would shape his life and career. After a career as a badged soldier in the NZSAS that led to an intriguing stint with the British SAS and...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
The Age Code
What if the food you eat could rewind your biological clock? 'Clear and compelling' β Chris van Tulleken 'Really interesting and insightful' β Joe Wicks 'Fascinating' β Tim Spector From the rising incidence of cancer in the under-50s to increased infertility rates, there are signs everywhere that growing numbers of us are ageing too quickly. Why? Many believe thereβs one...Paperback$2999Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
One Last Question, Prime Minister
From Muldoon to Luxon, untold stories from the House of Parliament Barry Soper has spent close to five decades questioning New Zealand's prime ministers.From the imposing, larger-than-life characters of Rob Muldoon and David Lange, to the golden age of Helen Clark and John Key, and the post-Covid era of Jacinda Ardern and the 'Chrises', Soper's insight and nose for a...Paperback$3199Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Fungi of Aotearoa
The complete introduction to finding, identifying and using mushrooms and other fungi in New Zealand. Enter and explore the fascinating world of fungi. In this practical and up-to-date guide, forager and fungus enthusiast Liv Sisson shares her top tips and takes the reader on a journey to discover the unique and diverse fungi Aotearoa has to offer. Discover how to...Paperback$3200Elsewhere:$4500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Suicidal Empathy
The bestselling author of The Parasitic Mind shows why empathy in politics leads to civilizational collapse. What happens when a society elevates victimhood to a virtue and decides that punishment is cruel? You get the disease Dr. Gad Saad calls suicidal empathy. And the West may be terminally infected. In his new book, Suicidal Empathy, Saad unleashes a blistering critique...Paperback$3099Elsewhere:$3799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Maori Made Easy Workbook 1/Kete 1
Maori Made Easy Workbook 1/Kete 1 by Scotty Morrison is the ultimate companion for anyone eager to learn the beautiful and complex Maori language. Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to brush up on your skills, this workbook offers a structured and engaging way to immerse yourself in te reo Maori. Designed to be accessible regardless of your starting...Paperback$2000Elsewhere:$2500Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
Kitchen Confidential
The classic bestseller from the star of Parts Unknown and No Reservations: 25th Anniversary edition, with a new introduction by Irvine Welsh. BEFORE THERE WAS THE BEAR, THERE WAS BOURDAIN. βElizabeth David written by Quentin Tarantinoβ β A.A. Gill βFantastic: as lip-smackingly seductive as a bowl of fat chips and pungent aioliβ β Daily Telegraph After twenty-five years of sex,...Paperback$2500Elsewhere:$2799Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
New Release
Hormone Health is Mental Health
Hormone Health is Mental Health is a lifechanging guide to understanding perimenopause and midlife women's mental health - and how understanding your hormones is the first step to feeling like yourself again. This book is for women in their thirties, forties, and fifties who feel like they're falling apart. Women who feel like their brains and bodies are betraying them,...Paperback$3299Elsewhere:$4000Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
"What Were You Thinking!?"
Everything parents need to know about their baby, child or teen's developing brain to raise resilient, emotional intelligent kids, by globally renowned neuroscience educator Nathan Wallis. 'What were you thinking!?'If you've ever asked this in despair while watching a toddler melt down, a tween push boundaries or a teenager make a truly terrible decision, this book is for you.InΒ "What Were...Paperback$3299Elsewhere:$3999Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today
Why buy from us?
Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!
Service & Delivery
Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.
Auckland Bookstore
We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.
Our Gifting Service
Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.
