The mother tongue : [electronic resource] English & how it got that way / Bill Bryson.

Includes bibliographical references.

Published by arrangement with William Morrow and Company, Inc.

The world's language -- The dawn of language -- Global language -- The first thousand years -- Where words come from -- Pronunciation -- Varieties of English -- Spelling -- Good English and bad -- Order out of chaos -- Old world, new world -- English as a world language -- Names -- Swearing -- Wordplay -- The future of English.