Like, Literally, Dude: Arguing for the Good in Bad English

by Valerie Fridland Narrated by Valerie Fridland, Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Keylor Leigh, Andrew Eiden, Christopher Ryan Grant, Ellen Archer, Eileen Stevens, Mx. Nicky Endres

Overview

"With easygoing authority... [Fridland] offers context, and a welcoming spirit, to the many contentious realignments in our language."-The Wall Street Journal

“Smart and funny-I loved it!" -Mignon Fogarty, author of New York Times bestseller Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

A lively linguistic exploration of the speech habits we love to hate-and why our “like”s and “literally”s actually make us better communicators

Paranoid about the “ums” and “uhs” that pepper your presentations? Concerned that people notice your vocal fry? Bewildered by “hella” or the meteoric rise of “so”? What if these features of our speech weren't a sign of cultural and linguistic degeneration, but rather, some of the most dynamic and revolutionary tools at our disposal?

In Like, Literally, Dude, linguist Valerie Fridland shows how we can re-imagine these forms as exciting new linguistic frontiers rather than our culture's impending demise. With delightful irreverence and expertise built over two decades of research, Fridland weaves together history, psychology, science, and laugh-out-loud anecdotes to explain why we speak the way we do today, and how that impacts what our kids may be saying tomorrow. She teaches us that language is both function and fashion, and that though we often blame the young, the female, and the uneducated for its downfall, we should actually thank them for their linguistic ingenuity.

By exploring the dark corners every English teacher has taught us to avoid, Like, Literally, Dude redeems our most pilloried linguistic quirks, arguing that they are fundamental to our social, professional, and romantic success-perhaps even more so than our clothing or our resumes. It explains how filled pauses benefit both speakers and listeners; how the use of “dude” can help people bond across social divides; why we're always trying to make our intensifiers ever more intense; as well as many other language tics, habits, and developments.

Language change is natural, built into the language system itself, and we wouldn't be who we are without it. Like, Literally, Dude celebrates the dynamic, ongoing, and empowering evolution of language, and it will speak to anyone who talks, or listens, inspiring them to communicate dynamically and effectively in their daily lives.

Editorial Reviews

MAY 2023 - AudioFile

Seven enthusiastic narrators join author Valerie Fridland in this entertaining and educational apologia for speaking like, um, a regular, you know, person. Fridland, a professor of linguistics, explores the role and often surprising history of language placeholders and other speech habits. With chapters on everything from "like" and "you know" and "they" as a singular pronoun (not as newfangled as many believe) to women's use of vocal fry, this is an audiobook for all kinds of language lovers. Fridland, who writes in an approachable yet scholarly style, is well served by Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Keylor Leigh, Andrew Eiden, Christopher Grant, Ellen Archer, Eileen Stevens, and Nicky Endres. They present with clarity and energy, helping to make the erudite material truly fun. I mean, ya know, bro? A.C.S. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

Publishers Weekly

12/19/2022

Fridland, a professor of linguistics at the University of Nevada, Reno, debuts with a smart and detailed apologia for speech habits that “violate our sense of linguistic decorum.” Documenting the etymological history of literally, like, um, and other quirks of speech, Fridland argues that they often serve to make people seem more approachable and considerate, and reveals that, rather than “arising from ignorance, laziness, or the sad decay of our grammatical principles,” many of these speech habits developed centuries ago. For example, the word like appears in its current “discourse-marking” function as far back as 18th-century British court transcripts, and the “hesitating marker” um first appeared in the 17th-century play The Mistake. According to Fridland, these and other speech habits often reveal something crucial about the identity of the speakers. For instance, working-class men are likely to employ the verb ending -in (as in sittin’) because its informal nature suggests an in-group solidarity, while women, who Fridland shows have always been at the forefront of linguistic evolution, are likely to lower their pitch to appear powerful and gain social influence. Scholarly yet accessible, and often very witty, this is a winning look at how language evolves. Agent: Becky Sweren, Aevitas Creative Management. (Apr.)

From the Publisher

Praise for Like, Literally, Dude:

"With easygoing authority... [Fridland] offers context, and a welcoming spirit, to the many contentious realignments in our language."—The Wall Street Journal

"A smart and detailed apologia for speech habits that 'violate our sense of linguistic decorum'. . . . Scholarly yet accessible, and often very witty, this is a winning look at how language evolves."—Publishers Weekly

“Valerie Fridland knows everything you ever wondered about language. With a parade of revelations in each chapter, she will have you texting your friends with mind-blowing tidbits.”—Mignon Fogarty, author of New York Times bestseller Grammar Girl’s Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
 
“Language lovers and grammar lovers alike will revel in Fridland’s scientifically informed—and humane—perspective on the linguistic habits you love to use or love to hate. You’ll never think the same way about others’—or your own—sprinkling of likes and y’knows, dudes and vocal fry. Thanks to Fridland, you’ll ask not what grammar rule is being broken but what social purpose is being served.” —Deborah Tannen, university professor of linguistics, Georgetown University, and New York Times best-selling author of You Just Don't Understand and You're Wearing THAT?
 
“Did you know that it was women who started saying ‘I’ve got to’ more than ‘must,’ or that the -in’ in words like singin’ isn’t short for -ing but for something else in Old English? Like, Literally, Dude will give you the lowdown on that as  well as the words in its title. Endless wisdom.” —John McWhorter, author of Nine Nasty Words and host of the podcast Lexicon Valley
 
“Convinced that English is dying before your eyes? Never fear—Like, Literally, Dude is here to help you lose your language blues. In this deft, eye-opening narrative, linguist Valerie Fridland wittily illuminates the social and historical forces behind some of our more vilified language habits. It will leave you marveling at human linguistic inventiveness.” —Ellen Jovin, author of Rebel with a Clause
 
“That rare gem that combines authoritative scholarship with engaging readability. Through a series of stories on the historical origins and social uses of an array of ‘annoying’ language features, Fridland shows us how they actually serve to enrich the English language.” —Natalie Schilling, professor of linguistics at Georgetown University and creator of The Great Courses’ English in America

Library Journal

03/01/2023

Psychology Today blogger Fridland's (linguistics, Univ. of Nevada, Reno) book shines a light on the fascinating intersection of language forms and social needs. It illustrates how change has been a constant feature of the English language since its inception, and it shows the positive benefits of linguistic evolution over time. The book examines contemporary speech patterns fulfilling social needs. These include words to succinctly express approximation or quotation, such as "like"; to indicate newly heightened emphasis, as in "literally"; and to convey self-identified solidarity with a specific social group, as in "dude." The desirability of such changes in language comes from the richness these new forms bring to English, despite the initial discomfort they cause to some. The author points out that even the most diehard grammar maven today is no longer speaking or writing in the language of Beowulf. With copious historical examples, the book explains that linguistic changes are often decried when new, but over time outrage gets muted, general usage absorbs the evolutions, which then become part of standard English. Fridland issues an open invitation to more deeply understand and celebrate the English language. VERDICT Highly recommended for collections supporting communications and sociolinguistics.—Karen Bordonaro

MAY 2023 - AudioFile

Seven enthusiastic narrators join author Valerie Fridland in this entertaining and educational apologia for speaking like, um, a regular, you know, person. Fridland, a professor of linguistics, explores the role and often surprising history of language placeholders and other speech habits. With chapters on everything from "like" and "you know" and "they" as a singular pronoun (not as newfangled as many believe) to women's use of vocal fry, this is an audiobook for all kinds of language lovers. Fridland, who writes in an approachable yet scholarly style, is well served by Joniece Abbott-Pratt, Keylor Leigh, Andrew Eiden, Christopher Grant, Ellen Archer, Eileen Stevens, and Nicky Endres. They present with clarity and energy, helping to make the erudite material truly fun. I mean, ya know, bro? A.C.S. © AudioFile 2023, Portland, Maine

Kirkus Reviews

2023-01-19
A specialist in sociolinguistics conducts a lively study of how and why our language is changing.

According to Fridland, a professor of linguistics and a frequent commentator on language issues, the maxim that rules are made to be broken is made clear by the evolution of language, especially the variety of English spoken in the U.S. Her aim is not to condemn the most recent wave of modifications but to praise the energy and innovative spirit involved. In fact, trying to stamp out linguistic innovations seldom works—and often makes them more popular. “Language change is natural, built into the language system itself, and not just a way for teenagers to torture their parents,” writes the author. As she examines the social meanings of language, she notes that most changes originate from young people, women, and lower-income groups to build solidarity and combat established authority. To illustrate, she dives into the evolution of the terms noted in the book’s title. As something called a discourse marker, like has been around for a surprisingly long time, although its ubiquity is recent. Another bugbear of older generations—the use of literally as an intensifying adjective—also has a complex history. It appears that many of the people who use it in this way may not know the actual meaning of the word, and they use it to mean very. Its new role demonstrates how linguistic fashions catch on, with social media spreading it beyond the originating group. Likewise, dude is no longer used exclusively by young men and has developed a myriad of meanings flowing from nuance and context. Fridland has great fun with her subject, following the various lines of argument and delving into the subterranean roots of changes. The growing use of the singular they, for example, relates to attempts to de-gender traditional language forms. In short, the book is an interesting, entertaining read.

With authority and wit, Fridland explains the evolution of language and embraces the dynamism it shows.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940175248570
Publisher:	Penguin Random House
Publication date:	04/18/2023
Edition description:	Unabridged

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