Listen Live
Donate
 on air
Schedule

KCRW

Read & Explore

  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Food
  • Culture
  • Events

Listen

  • Live Radio
  • Music
  • Podcasts
  • Full Schedule

Information

  • About
  • Careers
  • Help / FAQ
  • Newsletters
  • Contact

Support

  • Become a Member
  • Become a VIP
  • Ways to Give
  • Shop
  • Member Perks

Become a Member

Donate to KCRW to support this cultural hub for music discovery, in-depth journalism, community storytelling, and free events. You'll become a KCRW Member and get a year of exclusive benefits.

DonateGive Monthly

Copyright 2025 KCRW. All rights reserved.

Report a Bug|Privacy Policy|Terms of Service|
Cookie Policy
|FCC Public Files

Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Press Play with Madeleine Brand

'Bad English: A History of Linguistic Aggravation'

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who correct other people’s grammar, and those who think that those people are jerks. Ammon Shea’s new book, Bad English, looks at what are commonly considered mistakes in our language and explores how people first started speaking this way.

  • rss
  • Share
KCRW placeholderBy Barbara Bogaev • Jul 7, 2015 • 1 min read

There are two kinds of people in the world: those who correct other people’s grammar, and those who think that those people are jerks. Ammon Shea’s new book, Bad English, looks at what are commonly considered mistakes in our language and explores how people first started speaking this way. Often the historical context puts these vilified turns of phrase in a completely new light.

  • KCRW placeholder

    Barbara Bogaev

    radio journalist

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Matt Holzman

    Producer, 'The Document'

  • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

    Anna Scott

    Former KCRW Housing and Homelessness Reporter

  • KCRW placeholder

    Jolie Myers

    Managing Producer, 'Press Play'

  • KCRW placeholder

    Ammon Shea

    author, 'Bad English'

    News
Back to Press Play with Madeleine Brand