Ian MacKenzie – författare

‘Brilliant. Among the best novels I know about the fate of American innocence abroad’ Garth GreenwellSo. We were Americans abroad. We weren’t the doomed travellers in a Paul Bowles novel, and we weren’t the idealists or the malarial, religion-damaged burnouts in something by Greene; but we were people far from home nevertheless. Our naivety didn’t have political consequences. We had G.P.S. in our smartphones. I don’t think we were alcoholics. Our passports were in the same drawer as our collection of international adapters, none of which seemed to fit in Brazilian wall sockets. My husband was in the chrysalis stage of becoming a rich man, and idealism was never my vice.I was ancillary – a word that comes from the Latin for ‘having the status of a female slave’. That’s the sort of thing I know, and it tells you something about how I misspent my education. The term among expats for people like me was ‘trailing spouse’ . . . ‘Captivating’Irish Times ‘Devastating, funny and wise’ Garth Greenwell‘A triumph’ Samantha Harvey‘A writer so gifted with language that you forget who you are in the poetry of his prose’ Uzodinma Iweala‘Magnificent, profound, and true’ Elisa Albert‘Reminded me in parts of Maggie Nelson. Stunning’ Sophie Mackintosh

Paul Metzger's life is in a state of disrepair; a writer in his mid-thirties, he is divorced and underacheiving. One winter afternoon he travels into New York to visit three people; an elder half-brother who wants little to do with him; a disgraced, dying father, once infamous as a Nazi sympathiser; and an ex-wife whom Paul still loves.But Paul soon realises that he is being watched, and it is this fourth, unplanned and violent, encounter that will chanage more than one life, forever.

Formulaicity is pervasive in both spoken and written language. Speakers use a huge amount of prefabricated language including collocations, idioms, fixed and semi-fixed expressions, and verbal creativity often involves combining established word sequences rather than inventing wholly new ones. In literature, formulaicity was long disparaged as the opposite of creativity, and a hallmark of ‘genre fiction’ of questionable aesthetic value, but a more recent approach sees all writing as intertextual – a tissue of citations and creative reworkings of other texts. The chapters in this book elucidate the nature of semi-fixed formulaic sequences; how the meaning of formulaic expressions can change over time; how readers interpret formulaic expressions in first and second languages; how modern and postmodern authors use traditional genres and tales to challenging effect; and how formulaic patterns involving particular words can underlie the texture and meanings of entire novels. Together, the contributions to this collection provide a convincing reassessment of the potential creativity of the formulaic in a variety of linguistic and literary contexts. This book was originally published as a special issue of the European Journal of English Studies.

This book reflects on the future of the English language as used by native speakers, speakers of nativized New Englishes, and users of English as a lingua franca (ELF). The volume begins by outlining the current position of English in the world and accounts for the differences among native and nativized varieties and ELF usages. It offers a historical perspective on the impact of language contact on English and discusses whether the lexicogrammatical features of New Englishes and ELF are shaped by imperfect learning or deliberate language change. The book also considers the consequences of writing in a second language and questions the extent to which non-native English-speaking academics and researchers should be required to conform to ‘Anglo’ patterns of text organization and ‘English Academic Discourse.’ The book then examines the converse effect of English on other languages through bilingualism and translation. This volume is essential reading for students and scholars in English language, sociolinguistics, language acquisition, and language policy.

Spanish: An Essential Grammar is a concise and user-friendly reference guide to the most important aspects of Spanish.It presents a fresh and accessible description of the language that combines traditional and function-based grammar. The book sets out the complexities of Spanish in short, readable sections, and explanations are clear and free from jargon.The Grammar is the ideal reference source for the learner and user of Spanish. It is suitable for either independent study or for students in schools, colleges, universities and adult classes of all types. Features include:* clear distinctions between the essential and basic aspects of Spanish grammar and those that are more complex* full use of authentic examples* easy to understand explanations of areas that customarily pose problems for English speakers* detailed contents list and index for easy access to information.

Spanish: An Essential Grammar is a concise and user-friendly reference guide to the most important aspects of Spanish.It presents a fresh and accessible description of the language that combines traditional and function-based grammar. The book sets out the complexities of Spanish in short, readable sections, and explanations are clear and free from jargon.The Grammar is the ideal reference source for the learner and user of Spanish. It is suitable for either independent study or for students in schools, colleges, universities and adult classes of all types. Features include:* clear distinctions between the essential and basic aspects of Spanish grammar and those that are more complex* full use of authentic examples* easy to understand explanations of areas that customarily pose problems for English speakers* detailed contents list and index for easy access to information.

Intercultural communication is a daily occurrence for most people, as a result of transnational population flows and globalized media. The contributions to this volume propose reconceptualizations of orthodox accounts of intercultural communication based on supposed national cultural characteristics. They approach the subject from a variety of angles, including intercultural communication training, the role of power in intercultural negotiations, the linguistic situation in Europe, and the conflict between nationalist and transnational discourses in literature. The articles consider the need for a revision of the notions of culture and communication given multicultural and multilingual environments such as universities; the use of English as a lingua franca in Europe; how collaborative discourse can reshape power relations; the importance of social intelligence in intercultural communication; cultural and linguistic influences on conceptual metaphors and their translation; and the way Irish and Galician women poets negotiate competing ideologies such as nationalism, feminism, Celticism and Catholicism. This book was published as a special issue of the European Journal of English Studies.

Now in its fourth edition, Political Ideologies: An Introduction continues to be the best introductory textbook for students of political ideologies. Completely revised and updated throughout, this edition features: A comprehensive introduction to all of the most important ideologies Brand new chapters on multiculturalism, anarchism, and the growing influence of religion on politics More contemporary examples of twenty-first-century iterations of liberalism, socialism, conservatism, fascism, green political theory, nationalism, and feminism Enhanced discussion of the end of ideology debates and emerging theories of ideological formation Six new contributors.Accessible and packed with both historical and contemporary examples, this is the most useful textbooks for scholars and students of political ideologies.The contributors to this volume have all taught or carried out research at the School of Politics, International Studies and Philosophy of Queen’s University, Belfast, or have close research connections with the School.

Now in its fourth edition, Political Ideologies: An Introduction continues to be the best introductory textbook for students of political ideologies. Completely revised and updated throughout, this edition features: A comprehensive introduction to all of the most important ideologies Brand new chapters on multiculturalism, anarchism, and the growing influence of religion on politics More contemporary examples of twenty-first-century iterations of liberalism, socialism, conservatism, fascism, green political theory, nationalism, and feminism Enhanced discussion of the end of ideology debates and emerging theories of ideological formation Six new contributors.Accessible and packed with both historical and contemporary examples, this is the most useful textbooks for scholars and students of political ideologies.The contributors to this volume have all taught or carried out research at the School of Politics, International Studies and Philosophy of Queen’s University, Belfast, or have close research connections with the School.

English as a Lingua Franca: Theorizing and Teaching English examines the English used among non-native speakers around the world today and its relation to English as a native language, as well as the implications for English language teaching.Challenging and incisive, this book analyses positive and negative accounts of English as a lingua franca, and its linguistic features, within the context of: native and World Englishes multilingualism and intercultural communication sociolinguistic issues including accent and identity classroom teaching and learning English as a Lingua Franca is a useful guide for teachers and trainee teachers, and will be essential reading for advanced students and linguists concerned with multilingualism, language contact, language learning, language change, and the place of English in the world today.

English as a Lingua Franca: Theorizing and Teaching English examines the English used among non-native speakers around the world today and its relation to English as a native language, as well as the implications for English language teaching.Challenging and incisive, this book analyses positive and negative accounts of English as a lingua franca, and its linguistic features, within the context of: native and World Englishes multilingualism and intercultural communication sociolinguistic issues including accent and identity classroom teaching and learning English as a Lingua Franca is a useful guide for teachers and trainee teachers, and will be essential reading for advanced students and linguists concerned with multilingualism, language contact, language learning, language change, and the place of English in the world today.

Professional English in Use Finance is suitable for intermediate students and above. It includes 50 units covering all aspects of financial vocabulary from Accounting to Borrowing and Lending, Central Banking to Venture Capital and many more areas including financial idioms and metaphors. Primarily designed as a self-study reference and practice book, it can also be used for classroom work and one-to-one lessons. This book is a must for both trainers and learners of ESP and Business English who need to use English in a financial environment.

Intercultural communication is a daily occurrence for most people, as a result of transnational population flows and globalized media. The contributions to this volume propose reconceptualizations of orthodox accounts of intercultural communication based on supposed national cultural characteristics. They approach the subject from a variety of angles, including intercultural communication training, the role of power in intercultural negotiations, the linguistic situation in Europe, and the conflict between nationalist and transnational discourses in literature. The articles consider the need for a revision of the notions of culture and communication given multicultural and multilingual environments such as universities; the use of English as a lingua franca in Europe; how collaborative discourse can reshape power relations; the importance of social intelligence in intercultural communication; cultural and linguistic influences on conceptual metaphors and their translation; and the way Irish and Galician women poets negotiate competing ideologies such as nationalism, feminism, Celticism and Catholicism. This book was published as a special issue of the European Journal of English Studies.

Financial English is a language practice book for anyone learning about or workingin finance. It is designed for students preparing for careers in business and finance aswell as for people already working who wish to improve their English in this specialisedfield. It is suitable for learners at Intermediate level and above.The book can be used as the core material for a course, and also by students working alone.Financial English covers:•Numbers•Accounting•Banking•Corporate Finance•Trade and Economics.The units present and explain the fundamental concepts of the different areas of finance, and define essential vocabulary and terminology, as well as common financial idioms and metaphors.Financial English contains a full answer key.

This book reflects on the future of the English language as used by native speakers, speakers of nativized New Englishes, and users of English as a lingua franca (ELF). The volume begins by outlining the current position of English in the world and accounts for the differences among native and nativized varieties and ELF usages. It offers a historical perspective on the impact of language contact on English and discusses whether the lexicogrammatical features of New Englishes and ELF are shaped by imperfect learning or deliberate language change. The book also considers the consequences of writing in a second language and questions the extent to which non-native English-speaking academics and researchers should be required to conform to ‘Anglo’ patterns of text organization and ‘English Academic Discourse.’ The book then examines the converse effect of English on other languages through bilingualism and translation. This volume is essential reading for students and scholars in English language, sociolinguistics, language acquisition, and language policy.

The chapters in this book elucidate the nature of semi-fixed formulaic sequences; how the meaning of formulaic expressions can change over time; how readers interpret formulaic expressions in first and second languages; how modern and postmodern authors use traditional genres and tales to challenging effect; and how formulaic patterns involving particular words can underlie the texture and meanings of entire novels. Together, the contributions to this collection provide a convincing reassessment of the potential creativity of the formulaic in a variety of linguistic and literary contexts. This book was originally published as a special issue of the European Journal of English Studies. Chapter 1 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.