THE STORY OF ENGLISH is a fascinating tale of linguistic, social and cultural transformation, told accessibly and authoritatively. This book tells the story of the English language in all its richness and variety. From the intriguing origins and changing definition of common words such as ‘OK’, ‘berserk’, ‘curfew’, ‘cabal’ and ‘pow-wow’, to the massive transformations wrought in the vocabulary and structure of the language by Anglo-Saxon and Norman conquest, through to the literary triumphs of Beowulf, The Canterbury Tales and the works of Shakespeare, right up to the profound and surprising effect electronic media have had on its development.