{"product_id":"why-we-talk-funny-valerie-fridland-9780593830482","title":"Why We Talk Funny | Valerie Fridland","description":"\u003csection class=\"product-description\" style=\"color: #1a1a1a; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.6;\"\u003e\n  \u003ch2 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.75em; margin-bottom: 15px; border-bottom: 2px solid #2c3e50; padding-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eWhy We Talk Funny: The Real Story Behind Our Accents\u003c\/h2\u003e\n  \n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eAccolades \u0026amp; Praise\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cul style=\"margin-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 20px;\"\u003e\n    \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eA fun, smart, and surprising dive into the history, science, and social power of speech and accents.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eAn enlightening exploration of sociolinguistics that transforms how we listen to ourselves and others.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eExtended Synopsis\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eWhy We Talk Funny: The Real Story Behind Our Accents\u003c\/em\u003e by linguist Valerie Fridland is an engaging and scientific dive into the past, present, and future of human speech. From ancient Egyptian phonetics experiments to modern debates over pronunciation, Fridland reveals how the sounds we produce carry profound psychological, historical, and social significance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003eBlending rigorous sociolinguistic research with humor and captivating historical anecdotes, the book demonstrates how physiology, psychology, and the innate human drive for belonging shape language trajectory. Fridland examines how subtle shifts in pronunciation serve as cultural touchstones, defining everything from regional identity and social status to tribal belonging.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003eFar from being mere markers that divide us, accents are framed as powerful tools for connection. \u003cem\u003eWhy We Talk Funny\u003c\/em\u003e challenges readers to reconsider their own speech patterns, offering a compelling perspective on how every dialect, shift, and acoustic quirk reflects our shared human desire to communicate and belong.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eValerie Fridland\u003c\/strong\u003e is a professor of linguistics, sociolinguist, and expert on speech perception and dialect variation. Known for her accessible and humorous approach to language science, her work explores how social factors and human psychology influence language change, pronunciation, and regional accents.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eReader Targeting\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cul style=\"margin-bottom: 20px; padding-left: 20px;\"\u003e\n    \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eLinguistics enthusiasts, language students, and readers curious about sociolinguistics and phonetics.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eFans of popular science and social history books that explore human behavior and communication.\u003c\/li\u003e\n    \u003cli style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\"\u003eAnyone interested in speech patterns, regional dialects, identity, and the science of human connection.\u003c\/li\u003e\n  \u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eBibliographic \u0026amp; Physical Specifications\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cdiv class=\"table-responsive\" style=\"overflow-x: auto; max-width: 100%; margin-bottom: 25px; -webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch; border: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n    \u003ctable style=\"width: 100%; min-width: 650px; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 0.95em; table-layout: fixed;\"\u003e\n      \u003cthead\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"background-color: #f8f9fa; border-bottom: 2px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 12px 10px; color: #2c3e50; width: 30%; font-weight: bold;\"\u003eSpecification\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 12px 10px; color: #2c3e50; width: 70%; font-weight: bold;\"\u003eDetails\u003c\/th\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n      \u003c\/thead\u003e\n      \u003ctbody\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eTitle\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eWhy We Talk Funny\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eSubtitle\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eThe Real Story Behind Our Accents\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eAuthor\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eValerie Fridland\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eISBN-13\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003e9780593830482\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eISBN-10\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003e0593830482\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003ePublisher\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eViking\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003ePublication Date\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eApril 21, 2026\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eEdition\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eFirst Edition\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eLanguage\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eEnglish\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eCondition\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003ePre-Owned \/ Very Good\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eFormat\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eHardcover (Hardbound, Includes Dust Jacket)\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003ePage Count\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003e320\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eBISAC Categories\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eLANGUAGE ARTS \u0026amp; DISCIPLINES \/ Linguistics \/ Sociolinguistics; LANGUAGE ARTS \u0026amp; DISCIPLINES \/ Grammar \u0026amp; Punctuation\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eBIC\/Thema Classifications\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eSociolinguistics (CFG)\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eDimensions\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003e9.0 x 6.2 x 1.1 inches (229 x 158 x 28 mm)\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n        \u003ctr style=\"border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\"\u003e\n          \u003cth style=\"text-align: left; padding: 10px; background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #2c3e50; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;\"\u003eWeight\u003c\/th\u003e\n          \u003ctd style=\"padding: 10px; color: #1a1a1a; vertical-align: top;\"\u003e1.14 lbs\u003c\/td\u003e\n        \u003c\/tr\u003e\n      \u003c\/tbody\u003e\n    \u003c\/table\u003e\n  \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n  \u003ch3 style=\"color: #2c3e50; font-size: 1.25em; margin-top: 20px; margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h3\u003e\n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is \u003cem\u003eWhy We Talk Funny\u003c\/em\u003e about?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe book is an exploration of the science, history, and social dynamics of human speech and accents, showing how pronunciation evolves and shapes identity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 10px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho is author Valerie Fridland?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eValerie Fridland is a linguist and professor specializing in sociolinguistics, speech perception, and dialect variation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n  \n  \u003cp style=\"margin-bottom: 15px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDoes the book focus only on American accents?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eNo, it explores global speech history, ancient phonetic experiments, historical linguistic shifts, and universal social forces behind accent formation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n  \u003cscript type=\"application\/ld+json\"\u003e\n  {\n    \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n    \"@graph\": [\n      {\n        \"@type\": [\"Book\", \"Product\"],\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/bustdownbooks.com\/products\/why-we-talk-funny-valerie-fridland-9780593830482#book\",\n        \"name\": \"Why We Talk Funny: The Real Story Behind Our Accents\",\n        \"author\": {\n          \"@type\": \"Person\",\n          \"name\": \"Valerie Fridland\"\n        },\n        \"description\": \"Valerie Fridland explores sociolinguistics, the science of accents, and speech evolution, revealing how our pronunciation shapes identity and connection.\",\n        \"isbn\": \"9780593830482\",\n        \"gtin13\": \"9780593830482\",\n        \"sku\": \"0593830482\",\n        \"bookFormat\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/Hardcover\",\n        \"bookEdition\": \"First Edition\",\n        \"datePublished\": \"2026-04-21\",\n        \"numberOfPages\": \"320\",\n        \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n        \"countryOfOrigin\": \"United States\",\n        \"genre\": [\n          \"LANGUAGE ARTS \u0026 DISCIPLINES \/ Linguistics \/ Sociolinguistics\",\n          \"LANGUAGE ARTS \u0026 DISCIPLINES \/ Grammar \u0026 Punctuation\",\n          \"Sociolinguistics (CFG)\"\n        ],\n        \"image\": \"https:\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0855\/2077\/7531\/files\/9780593830482.jpg?v=1786923911\",\n        \"publisher\": {\n          \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n          \"name\": \"Viking\"\n        },\n        \"weight\": {\n          \"@type\": \"QuantitativeValue\",\n          \"value\": \"18.24\",\n          \"unitCode\": \"ONZ\"\n        },\n        \"height\": {\n          \"@type\": \"QuantitativeValue\",\n          \"value\": \"9.0\",\n          \"unitCode\": \"INH\"\n        },\n        \"width\": {\n          \"@type\": \"QuantitativeValue\",\n          \"value\": \"6.2\",\n          \"unitCode\": \"INH\"\n        },\n        \"depth\": {\n          \"@type\": \"QuantitativeValue\",\n          \"value\": \"1.1\",\n          \"unitCode\": \"INH\"\n        },\n        \"offers\": {\n          \"@type\": \"Offer\",\n          \"price\": \"30.99\",\n          \"priceCurrency\": \"USD\",\n          \"availability\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/InStock\",\n          \"itemCondition\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/UsedCondition\",\n          \"url\": \"https:\/\/bustdownbooks.com\/products\/why-we-talk-funny-valerie-fridland-9780593830482\",\n          \"seller\": {\n            \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n            \"name\": \"Bust-Down Books\"\n          }\n        }\n      },\n      {\n        \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n        \"@id\": \"https:\/\/bustdownbooks.com\/products\/why-we-talk-funny-valerie-fridland-9780593830482#faq\",\n        \"mainEntity\": [\n          {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"What is Why We Talk Funny about?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n              \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n              \"text\": \"The book is an exploration of the science, history, and social dynamics of human speech and accents, showing how pronunciation evolves and shapes identity.\"\n            }\n          },\n          {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"Who is author Valerie Fridland?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n              \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n              \"text\": \"Valerie Fridland is a linguist and professor specializing in sociolinguistics, speech perception, and dialect variation.\"\n            }\n          },\n          {\n            \"@type\": \"Question\",\n            \"name\": \"Does the book focus only on American accents?\",\n            \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n              \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n              \"text\": \"No, it explores global speech history, ancient phonetic experiments, historical linguistic shifts, and universal social forces behind accent formation.\"\n            }\n          }\n        ]\n      }\n    ]\n  }\n  \u003c\/script\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e","brand":"Bust-Down Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51562399236411,"sku":"0593830482","price":30.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0855\/2077\/7531\/files\/9780593830482.jpg?v=1786923911","url":"https:\/\/bustdownbooks.com\/products\/why-we-talk-funny-valerie-fridland-9780593830482","provider":"Bust-Down Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}