What's in a name? How do sounds become speech? What makes a word rude or polite? Is it possible to speak out of tune? How do we learn to read? These and hundreds of other questions are answered in renowned linguist David Crystal's brilliant tour through the fascinating world of language. From eyebrow flashes to whistling languages, from baby talk to why the grocer's apostrophe isn't such a bad thing after all, How Language Works sheds light on the endless mysteries of the language we speak, write and read every day.