Sarah Ogilvie: 3 books

Most people think of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) as a distinctly British product. Begun in England 150 years ago, it took more than 60 years to complete and, when it was finally finished in 1928, the British prime minister heralded it as a 'national treasure'. It maintained this image throughout...

Many of the world's languages have diminishing numbers of speakers and are in danger of falling silent. Around the globe, a large body of linguists are collaborating with members of indigenous communities to keep these languages alive. Mindful that their work will be used by future speech communities...

Reports of ghostly music playing in the dead of night, apparitions drifting along the tower parapet, a mischievous child ghost stealing keys and an old butler lurking in the shadows . . . they can't all be rumours, can they? Built on the grounds of an old Roman ruin, Livingstone Hall Country House...