Strictly English

Jan 18, 2025 2:19 PM

Author:Simon Heffer

Strictly English

"Be in no doubt: the beer was drunk but the man drank the beer."

"We must avoid vulgarities like 'front up'. If someone is 'fronting up' a television show, then he is presenting it."

Simon Heffer's incisive and amusingly despairing emails to colleagues at the The Daily Telegraph about grammatical mistakes and stylistic slips have attracted a growing band of ardent fans over recent years. Now, in his new book Strictly English, he makes an impassioned case for an end to the sloppiness that has become such a hallmark of everyday speech and writing, and shows how accuracy and clarity are within the grasp of anyone who is prepared to take the time to master a few simple rules.

If you wince when you see "different than" in print, or are offended by people who think that "infer" and "imply" mean the same thing, then this book will provide reassurance that you are not alone. And if you believe that precise and elegant English really does matter, then it will prove required reading.

Reviews

An impassioned case for correct English, full of practical advice

—— Country Life

Every one of us who gasps at the use of English in the papers each morning or harrumphs on turning on the radio will find much to applaud

—— The Spectator

I have spent several productive hours reading Strictly English

—— Jeffrey Archer , Daily Telegraph

His evidently strong feelings about his subject, fluently expressed, make this book lively and engrossing

—— Times Literary Supplement

The Holy Grail of grammar ... It is a delight to read and learn from this book

—— Field

Heffer's polemic in favour of grammatical precision is an important and persuasive one

—— Choice

Anyone who writes for a living, or who wants to write well, could benefit from a few hours spent with Heffer's amusing and clearly organised book

—— Literary Review

A fascinating...very readable study of the mysterious art and business of translation...Bellos asks big questions...and comes up with often surprising answers...sparky, thought-provoking

—— Nigeness

Forget the fish-it's David Bellos you want in your ear when the talk is about translation. Bellos dispels many of the gloomy truisms of the trade and reminds us what an infinitely flexible instrument the English language (or any language) is. Sparkling, independent-minded analysis of everything from Nabokov's insecurities to Google Translate's felicities fuels a tender-even romantic-account of our relationship with words.

—— —NATASHA WIMMER, translator of Roberto Bolaño’s Savage Detectives and 2666

Is That a Fish in Your Ear? offers a lively survey of translating puns and poetry, cartoons and legislation, subtitles, news bulletins and the Bible

—— Matthew Reisz , Times Higher Education Supplement

Please read David Bellos's brilliant book

—— Michael Hofmann , Guardian

A clear and lively survey...This book fulfils a real need; there is nothing quite like it.

—— Robert Chandler , Spectator

In his marvellous study of the nature of translation...[David Bellos] has set out to make it fun...Essential reading for anyone with even a vague interest in language and translation - in short, it is a triumph

—— Shaun Whiteside , Independent

A dazzyingly inventive book

—— Adam Thirlwell , New York Times

Witty and perceptive...stimulating, lucid, ultimately cheering

—— Theo Dorgan , Irish Times

Superbly smart, supremely shrewd

—— Carlin Romano , The Chronicle Review

Selected as a National Book Critics' Circle Award Criticism Finalist 2011

—— NBCC

Personal and affectionate tribute

—— Sally Morris , Daily Mail

Affectionate, familial tribute to this many-sided man.

—— The Catholic Herald

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