Scribe signs You're All Talk from linguist Drummond

Scribe has signed You’re All Talk: Why We Are What We Speak, a book about accents and ways of speaking, from linguist Rob Drummond. 

Former publishing and managing director Sarah Braybrooke acquired UK and Commonwealth rights from Doug Young at PEW Literary. Publisher Molly Slight is the lead editor. The book will be published in October 2023. 

You’re All Talk "investigates how and why we automatically associate different accents with particular social characteristics — degrees of friendliness, authority, social class, level of education, race and so on — and how we, consciously or subconsciously, change the way we speak in order to create different versions of ourselves to fit different environments". 

Drummond said: "I’m extremely excited about this book. I’m lucky enough to work in an area of linguistics which everyone can relate to, and which can generate the liveliest discussions. Most of us have had some kind of experience of being judged, or of judging others, purely on the basis of the way we all speak. It’s been such a pleasure exploring and untangling all the ways in which our spoken language is connected to who we are, and I’m delighted that Scribe is able to bring this fascinating subject to a wider audience." 

Slight added: "We are all delighted to be publishing Rob Drummond’s accessible, engaging look at how our voices are shaped by who we are — and in turn shape how we are perceived. If you have ever wondered why you particularly like or dislike certain accents, why you associate specific personality traits with things like vocal fry or "h-dropping", and what your pronunciation rightly or wrongly says about you, this book will give you all the answers, with plenty of fascinating examples along the way. It should be in every linguistic enthusiast’s stocking this Christmas."