Henry Sweet Popular Books
Henry Sweet Biography & Facts
Henry Sweet (15 September 1845 – 30 April 1912) was an English philologist, phonetician and grammarian. As a philologist, he specialized in the Germanic languages, particularly Old English and Old Norse. In addition, Sweet published works on larger issues of phonetics and grammar in language and the teaching of languages. Many of his ideas have remained influential, and a number of his works continue to be in print, being used as course texts at colleges and universities. Life and work Henry Sweet was born in St Pancras, London. He was educated at Bruce Castle School and King's College School, London. In 1864, he spent a short time studying at Heidelberg University. Upon his return to England, he took up an office job with a trading company in London. Five years later, aged twenty-four, he won a scholarship in German and entered Balliol College in Oxford. Sweet neglected his formal academic coursework, concentrating instead on pursuing excellence in his private studies. Early recognition came in his first year at Oxford, when the prestigious Philological Society (of which he was later to become president) published a paper of his on Old English. In 1871, still an undergraduate, he edited King Alfred's translation of the Cura Pastoralis for the Early English Text Society (King Alfred's West-Saxon Version of Gregory's Pastoral Care: With an English Translation, the Latin Text, Notes, and an Introduction), his commentary establishing the foundation for Old English dialectology. He graduated in 1873, nearly thirty years old, with a fourth-class degree in literae humaniores. Subsequent works on Old English included An Anglo-Saxon Reader (1876), The Oldest English Texts (1885) and A Student's Dictionary of Anglo-Saxon (1896). Sweet, like his contemporary Walter Skeat, felt under particular pressure from German scholars in English studies who, often state-employed, tenured, and accompanied by their comitatus of eager graduate students, "annexed" the historical study of English. Dismayed by the "swarms of young program-mongers turned out every year by German universities," he felt that "no English dilettante can hope to compete with them—except by Germanizing himself and losing all his nationality." In 1877, Sweet published A Handbook of Phonetics, which attracted international attention among scholars and teachers of English in Europe. He followed up with the Elementarbuch des gesprochenen Englisch (1885), which was subsequently adapted as A Primer of Spoken English (1890). This included the first scientific description of educated London speech, later known as received pronunciation, with specimens of connected speech represented in phonetic script. In addition, he developed a version of shorthand called Current Shorthand, which had both orthographic and phonetic modes. His emphasis on spoken language and phonetics made him a pioneer in language teaching, a subject which he covered in detail in The Practical Study of Languages (1899). In 1901, Sweet was made reader in phonetics at Oxford. The Sounds of English (1908) was his last book on English pronunciation. Other books by Sweet include An Icelandic Primer with Grammar, Notes and Glossary (1886), The History of Language (1900), and a number of other works he edited for the Early English Text Society. Sweet was also closely involved in the early history of the Oxford English Dictionary. Despite the recognition he received for his scholarly work, Sweet never received a university professorship, a fact that disturbed him greatly, although he was appointed reader. He had done poorly as a student at Oxford, he had annoyed many people through bluntness, and he failed to make every effort to gather official support. His relationship with the Oxford University Press was often strained. Sweet died on 30 April 1912 in Oxford, of pernicious anemia; he left no children. Other interests In Who's Who, 1911, Sweet gave his recreations as: Climbing, gardening, chemistry, alphabets, in boyhood; swimming, skating, European languages and literatures, in youth; riding, fishing, cycling, literary controversy, spelling and university reform, oriental languages and literatures, in middle age; sociology, spiritualism, music, literary composition, in old age—looked forward to flying: real flying, not with bags and stoves! Legacy Sweet has retained a reputation as "the man who taught Europe phonetics". His work established an applied linguistics tradition in language teaching which has continued without interruption to the present day. A bibliography and Collected Papers were published by H. C. Wyld. In the preface to his 1913 play Pygmalion, George Bernard Shaw stated that "[Henry] Higgins is not a portrait of Sweet, to whom the adventure of Eliza Doolittle would have been impossible; still, as will be seen, there are touches of Sweet in the play." Leslie Howard portrayed the character of Higgins in the 1938 film Pygmalion; Henry Higgins was notably portrayed by Rex Harrison in the 1956 stage musical My Fair Lady and its 1964 screen adaptation. The Henry Sweet Society for the History of Linguistic Ideas (founded 1984) is named after him. It holds annual colloquia, and publishes the journal Language and History. References Further reading Charles Leslie Wrenn, 'Henry Sweet', Transactions of the Philological Society; vol. 45, pp. 177–201 (1946) Henderson, Eugénie J. A., ed. (1971). The indispensable foundation: a selection from the writings of Henry Sweet. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0194370394. Anthony Philip Reid Howatt, H. G. Widdowson (2004). A History of English Language Teaching. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-442185-6. External links The Henry Sweet Society Works by Henry Sweet at Project Gutenberg Works by or about Henry Sweet at Internet Archive Works by Henry Sweet at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks) Anthony Philip Reid Howatt, H. G. Widdowson (2004). A History of English Language Teaching. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-442185-6. Henry Sweet's The Principles of Spelling Reform An Anglo-Saxon primer Cornell University Library Historical Monographs Collection. {Reprinted by} Cornell University Library Digital Collections. Discover the Henry Sweet popular books. Find the top 100 most popular Henry Sweet books.
Best Seller Henry Sweet Books of 2024
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Rainbow Bakes
Mima SinclairTaste the rainbow with this celebration of colour and creativity! Mima Sinclair has pulled out all the stops in creating a collection of delicious cakes, cupcakes, biscuits, small ...
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Sweet Talk
Cara Bastone'Cara Bastone is one of the most talented writers in the romance genre today. With her signature blend of heart, humor, and honesty, Cara's books remind you that the best stories b...
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Lavender Lane
Christina JonesREADERS LOVE CHRISTINA JONES' UPLIFTING ROMANCE NOVELS!'Delightful, warm hearted, easy to read book... Just the thing to cheer you up after a bad day' Reader review 'This was an e...
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The Messenger
Bill BrooksReeling from the death of his son, a downonhisluck rancher witnesses a random murder that pits him headtohead with a bloodthirsty outlaw!Royce Blood had everything he wanted. He ow...
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I Remember Paris
Lucy Diamond'I enjoyed it SO much!' MARIAN KEYES'With glorious characters and a dreamy setting, I couldn't have loved this book more' THE SUN, 5 STARSBack to the city of dreams . . . Paris ha...
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The Lonely Hearts Dog Walkers
Sheila NortonCould this be the perfect place to start over…?When Nicola’s marriage falls apart and she’s left brokenhearted, she decides to move back home to the idyllic village of Furzewell. B...
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Love from Scratch
Amy HuttonOpposites attract in this laughoutloud romcom about a heartthrob actor, the grumpy woman who minds his beloved dog, and the cat that steals his heart. Ethan James has a prob...
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The Young Wives Club
Julie PennellSouthern Living’s Best New Summer Books In Toulouse, Louisiana finding your one true love happens sometime around high school. If you’re lucky, he might be the man you thought he w...
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The Sweet Adventures of Henry P. Twist
B.W. Van AlstyneJoin Henry Peppermint Twist As He Embarks On Another Scrumptious Adventure!Someone has stolen all of the Vfilanderbra Blossoms on the Island of Milk and Honey and tensions between ...
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Liberty Is Sweet
Woody HoltonA “deeply researched and bracing retelling” (Annette GordonReed, Pulitzer Prize–winning historian) of the American Revolution, showing how the Founders were influenced by overlooke...
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Catch Zoo Later
Andy NonamusA very unlucky kid’s suspiciously uneventful class trip to the zoo takes a turn for the unfortunate in the third book in The Very Worst Ever chapter book series!On a class field tr...
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Honeysuckle House
Christina JonesREADERS LOVE CHRISTINA JONES' UPLIFTING ROMANCE NOVELS!'This book has everything, laughter, sadness, romance, marriage all our together in a lovely captivating story, lovely read t...
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Louisiana Lucky
Julie PennellFrom the critically acclaimed author of The Young Wives Club, a “heartwarming story about friendship, heartache, and selfdiscovery” (Karen White, New York Times bestselling author)...
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The Magnificent Sons
Justin MyersPreorder the new sharp, hilarious Justin Myers novel, LEADING MAN, now!'Funny, beautifully observed and moving' Adam KayTwo brothers. Two different journeys. The same hope of a mag...
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Fruitful
Sarah JohnsonThis is a celebration of fruit, and all the glorious variety it can bring to our plates. From crisp apples to buttery pears, fragrant peaches to plump berries, and vibrant lemons t...
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The Secret Seaside Escape
Heidi SwainTHE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR Escape to the seaside with the brand new novel from Heidi Swain, the Sunday Times bestselling author of feelgood women’s fiction! 'A summe...
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Tea Fit for a Queen
Historic Royal Palaces Enterprises LimitedFilled with recipes that have stood the test of time as well as fascinating anecdotes and tales, Tea Fit for a Queen reveals how the tradition of afternoon tea started in royal Bri...
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Dancing in the Moonlight
Christina JonesThe fabulous prequel in the addictively charming The Milton St John Trilogy!Readers LOVE Christina Jones' uplifting romance novels!'Another fantastic novel by Christina Jones, it h...
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Avoca at Home
AvocaAn inspiring new cookbook from the home of Ireland's most indulgent and comforting foodFor decades, Avoca cookbooks have been staples in kitchens in Ireland and beyond, filled with...
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Escape to Riverside Cottage
Sheila NortonCan happiness be made in Devon?...After the sudden death of her estranged husband, Clare is shocked to discover she has inherited a dog and a small fortune. Convinced by her adult ...
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The Cake Decorating Bible
Juliet SearThe definitive guide to baking showstopping cupcakes, cakes and biscuits from baking expert Juliet Sear, as seen on ITV’s Beautiful Baking with Juliet Sear.Juliet teaches all the ...
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A Taste of Home
Heidi SwainThe delicious new novel from Sunday Times bestseller Heidi Swain: ‘Heidi’s known for her feelgood factor and this story is a delight’ New! Magazine ‘A charming, summery...
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The Holiday Escape
Heidi SwainHer dream holiday is his everyday life. His dream holiday is her normal life. What happens when they collide? Ally and her dad, Geoff, run the family business, a creative re...
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Going the Distance
Christina JonesThe first instalment in the addictively charming Milton St John Trilogy!Falling in love is easy. Staying in love is something else altogether...'Christina Jones is one of the best ...
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Running the Risk
Christina JonesThe second instalment in the addictively charming The Milton St John Trilogy!Readers LOVE Christina Jones' uplifting romance novels!'Warm, witty and wonderful' KATIE FFORDE'The who...
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Second Time Sweeter
Beverly JenkinsNAACP nominee and USA Today bestselling author Beverly Jenkins continues her beloved Blessings series with a new heartwarming novel set in Henry Adams, Kansas.Malachi “Mal” July ha...
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Walking on Air
Christina JonesREADERS LOVE CHRISTINA JONES' ENCHANTING TALES!'A fantastic story, with twits and turns both in the air and on the ground. This book will keep you guessing until the very end!' Re...
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Chinese Cookery Secrets
Deh-Ta HsiungDehTa Hsiung shares his lifelong knowledge of Chinese restaurant cooking to help you successfully reproduce your favourite meals at home from a simple, single dish to an elaborate...
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Jumping to Conclusions
Christina JonesThe final instalment in the addictively charming The Milton St John Trilogy!Readers LOVE Christina Jones' enthralling tales!'As feelgood and cosy as a goosedown duvet' JILL MANSELL...
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The Sweet Adventures of Henry P. Twist
B. W. Van AlstyneA Scrumptious New Faerie Tale Adventure Awaits!Automation and greed have forced master pastry chef extraordinaire, Henry Peppermint Twist, out of a job at the Brackmeyer Sweets fa...