Why Is This a Question?: Everything About the Origins and Oddities of Language You Never Thought to Ask

Why don’t eleven and twelve end in "–teen"?
The rest of our counting system sits in neatly arithmetical sets of ten, so why do these two rule-breakers seem so at odds with the numbers that follow them?

That’s probably a question that never occurred to you, but if you’re even remotely interested in the origins and oddities of language, it’s likely also a question you now want the answer to. Nor is it the only question: Thinking about how language operates presents more questions. Why do these letters look the way they do? Why are some uppercase and others lowercase? Why are these words in this order? How are you understanding what these seemingly arbitrary shapes and symbols mean when hearing them read to you in a voice inside your head? And what is this question mark really doing at this end of this sentence?

Books that explain the origins of our most intriguing words and phrases have long proved popular, but they often overlook the true nuts and bolts of language: the origins of our alphabet and writing system; grammatical rules and conventions; the sound structure of language; and even how our brains and bodies interpret and communicate language itself. Why Is This a Question? is a fascinating and enlightening exploration of linguistic questions you may have never thought to ask.