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The American Language. A Preliminary Inquiry into the Development of English in the United States.
by MENCKEN, H.L
- Used
- near fine
- Hardcover
- Signed
- first
- Condition
- Near Fine/Near Fine
- Seller
-
Pine Plains, New York, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
SIGNED first edition/first printing with the exceedingly scarce complete dust jacket, accompanied by a letter discussing language and deplorable conditions in Baltimore signed and dated by Mencken. "The American of today is much more honestly English, in any sense that Shakespeare would have understood, than the so-called standard English of England." Copy #481 of only 1500 printed copies, this American declaration of linguistic independence OF Mencken s most enduring work --the only signed copy we've ever seen -- marked a crucial new chapter in American prose. The publication of The American Language summoned the emergence of American lexicography as a distinct field. Mencken's work inspired subsequent dictionaries, such as the Dictionary of American English by the American Dialect Society. These dictionaries focused on documenting the unique vocabulary and expressions of uniquely American English, thus cementing The American Language as a pioneering work in the study of American linguistics. Royal 8vo. Original dark blue cloth, gilt lettered spine, blue top edge; original printed dust jacket (spine sunned, some moderate edgewear); encased in a folding chemise and morocco backed slipcase. SIGNED FIRST EDITION, LIMITED ISSUE, number 1481 of 1500 copies. PRESENTATION COPY, INSCRIBED BY MENCKEN. IN THE RARE DUST JACKET, especially rare in this condition. Book #v2451. $5800. We specialize in Rare Ayn Rand, history, and science."
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Details
- Bookseller
- Pen Ultimate Rare Books
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- v2451
- Title
- The American Language. A Preliminary Inquiry into the Development of English in the United States.
- Author
- MENCKEN, H.L
- Format/Binding
- Folding chemise and morocco backed slipcase
- Book Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Jacket Condition
- Near Fine
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Knopf
- Place of Publication
- New York
- Date Published
- 1919
- Weight
- 0.00 lbs
- Bookseller catalogs
- Language;
Terms of Sale
Pen Ultimate Rare Books
30 day return guarantee, with full refund including original shipping costs for up to 30 days after delivery if an item arrives misdescribed or damaged.
About the Seller
Pen Ultimate Rare Books
Biblio member since 2018
Pine Plains, New York
About Pen Ultimate Rare Books
Pen Ultimate Rare Books carries the largest selection of rare, signed, and manuscript Ayn Rand on the planet! We also carry landmark works of History and Science. And we LOVE English Grammar. Split an infinitive with us!
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- New
- A new book is a book previously not circulated to a buyer. Although a new book is typically free of any faults or defects, "new"...
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Jacket
- Sometimes used as another term for dust jacket, a protective and often decorative wrapper, usually made of paper which wraps...
- Cloth
- "Cloth-bound" generally refers to a hardcover book with cloth covering the outside of the book covers. The cloth is stretched...
- Morocco
- Morocco is a style of leather book binding that is usually made with goatskin, as it is durable and easy to dye. (see also...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Sunned
- Damage done to a book cover or dust jacket caused by exposure to direct sunlight. Very strong fluorescent light can cause slight...
- Inscribed
- When a book is described as being inscribed, it indicates that a short note written by the author or a previous owner has been...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
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