[Reprint Decided Before Launch!] "Solving English Grammar Mysteries Through History: Why do we add the 3rd person singular 's'?" Released June 10

"Solving English Grammar Mysteries Through History: Why do we add the 3rd person singular 's'?" Book Cover

"Solving English Grammar Mysteries Through History: Why do we add the 3rd person singular 's'?", published by NHK Publishing, hit shelves on June 10. Due to overwhelming demand during the pre-order period, a decision was made to reprint the book before its official release. A leading expert in English historical research in Japan thoroughly explains the simple questions everyone has about English from the perspective of its history. This book is an expanded and revised version of the series "Solving English Riddles Through History" published in the 2021-2022 NHK textbook "Basic English for Junior and Senior High School Students in English." By understanding the "why," readers can gain deeper insight into vocabulary and grammar.

Mysteries featured in the book (excerpts): - Why do 'one' and 'two' have this spelling and pronunciation? - Why do we say 'eleven' and 'twelve'? - Why is the plural of 'child' 'children'? - Why is the past tense of 'go' 'went'? - Why do English sentences require a subject? - Why do we use the 'There is/are...' construction for existence? - Why does 'do' appear in questions? - Why do we add the 3rd person singular 's'? - Why do we use the present tense for future events in 'adverbial clauses of time/condition'? - What is the singular 'they'?

Many responses and recommendations have already been received. Here are some of the comments:

Jun Terasawa (Professor at Aoyama Gakuin University, Professor Emeritus at the University of Tokyo): "I am currently reading through each chapter's 'why.' I found the book extremely reader-friendly, as it explains the reason for each 'why' step-by-step, touching on related issues along the way. Compared to other pocket-sized books on 'English whys' published to date, Professor Hotta's book provides deeper explanations for each topic, and there is much that experts would find eye-opening."

Hideo Kurabayashi (Professor at Kyorin University): "As I read through chapters 2 and 3, the Great Vowel Shift, a major event in English history, is discussed. It is easy to visualize how the vowels changed, and the inclusion of examples in Japanese was a great discovery. I believe this book is reliable precisely because it is written by an expert."

Kazuma Kitamura (Associate Professor at Kyorin University): "From the introduction, you can feel the message: 'for those who once hated English because they couldn't understand its rules.' Even though the theme is English history, it is very clear, and I feel you can read it as if you were listening to a lecture."

Yuumi Amano (Video Translator): "Since the topic is close to my work, I inevitably compare it to 'My First English History.' While that was a 'comprehensible academic book,' this one is a general-interest book for everyone, following the junior high school English syllabus! It is recommended even for those who know nothing about linguistics or who have a fear of English!"