# The American Language

_A Preliminary Inquiry into the Development of English in the United States_

By H. L. Mencken.

"The American Language" by H. L. Mencken is a book published in 1919 that examines English as spoken in the United States. Inspired by street argot and Mark Twain, Mencken defended American speech against British critics who dismissed it as a corruption of proper English. He argued that American English was more colorful and creative than its counterpart across the Atlantic. The work explores American variations, names, and slang, challenging prescriptive grammar rules and celebrating how language evolves independently of textbooks. (Summary by Project Gutenberg, written by machine.)

- Language: English
- Subjects: English language; Americanisms; Names -- United States; Names, Personal -- United States

[Read it](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/books/gutenberg/43376/read)
[Plain text](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/api/books/gutenberg/43376/text)

## Audiobooks of it

- [American Language](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/books/librivox/12453) by H. L. Mencken (15 h 41 min, English)

From Project Gutenberg. Public domain in the United States.