SKU: 97991821041

Don't Believe a Word: The Surprising Truth about Language

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Don't Believe a Word: The Surprising Truth about LanguageThink you know language? Think again. There are languages that change when your mother in law is present. The language you speak could make you more prone to accidents. Swear words are produced in a special part of your brain. Over the past few decades, we have reached new frontiers of linguistic knowledge. Linguists can now explain how and why language changes, describe its structures, and map its activity in the brain. But despite these advances,

Think you know language? Think again.

  • There are languages that change when your mother-in-law is present.
  • The language you speak could make you more prone to accidents.
  • Swear words are produced in a special part of your brain.

Over the past few decades, we have reached new frontiers of linguistic knowledge. Linguists can now explain how and why language changes, describe its structures, and map its activity in the brain. But despite these advances, much of what people believe about language is based on folklore, instinct, or hearsay. We imagine a word's origin is it's "true" meaning, that foreign languages are full of "untranslatable" words, or that grammatical mistakes undermine English.

In Don't Believe A Word, linguist David Shariatmadari takes us on a mind-boggling journey through the science of language, urging us to abandon our prejudices in a bid to uncover the (far more interesting) truth about what we do with words.

Exploding nine widely held myths about language while introducing us to some of the fundamental insights of modern linguistics, Shariatmadari is an energetic guide to the beauty and quirkiness of humanity's greatest achievement.



Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Published: 01/07/2020
ISBN: 9781324004257
Pages: 336
Weight: 1.10lbs
Size: 9.30h x 6.30w x 1.10d

Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 10/14/2019
Kirkus Reviews 10/15/2019
Booklist 12/15/2019 pg. 85
Shelf Awareness 01/31/2020
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SKU: 97991821041

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not cooling for post menopause
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As a post menopausal person I did not find this cooling at all. The material is memory foam which holds heat but more importantly my head sinks in so that half of it is always surrounded by the pillow, trapping heat. It IS a supportive, soft and comfy pillow. For cooling though, I found it better to buy a firmer, thinner pillow which keeps my head from sinking into it, allowing heat to dissipate.
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Nice and squishy
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Not really a "cooling" pillow, but better than a standard or or fiber filled pillow. All these types of pillows and other bed linens are initially cool to the touch, but they quickly heat up to match your body temperature. Although the technology currently does not exist to maintain constant cooling, pillows like this are a good compromise for now. It's nice and soft and is a good value for the price.
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Love It so far... Its cool and comfortable... just the right firmness
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Doesn’t stay cool long
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The pillow was a little softer than I expected. It’s cool at first but at least for me heats up fast.
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too soft, useless. but cool, kindah
Set name: UltraCool Pillow, Standard - Medium/Firm Firmness, Item length width: 30.0 Inches
the problem with these "cooling" pillows is any cooling effect is almost completely negated by a pillow case. this particular pillow is cool to the touch, but completely useless as it flattens out completely, way too soft I think for anyone. I would not recommend this "NASA" pillow for anyone for anything. Maybe for 10 bucks, but certainly not what they ask for this. I did keep it though. It is "cool" but only for a moment and your flipping it around like any other pillow. also way too soft. BUt, it has been cool enough to get me back to sleep.
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