Quick Reads: “That’s Not English” by Erin Moore

Allie GrossMar. 17, 2015 11:00 AM


That’s Not English

By Erin Moore

GOTHAM BOOKS

In Erin Moore’s book on the distinctions between American and British English, each chapter zeros in on a single word, examining definitions and offering historical context for the divergences. For example, we view “middle class” through a prism of income, while for the Brits it’s a state of mind—a difference she attributes to a relative lack of social mobility in the UK. While some chapters are trivial, Moore’s unvarnished enthusiasm for the language makes for an enjoyable read.

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  • Allie Gross was a Mother Jones fellow whose work has appeared in Jacobin, VICE, Slate, and GOOD magazine. Prior to joining Mother Jones, Allie worked as a fifth-grade teacher in Detroit, where she cofounded Detroit Charter Data, a website aiming to bring accountability, transparency, and coherency to the city's education landscape. You can follow her on twitter @allie_elisabeth.