Just before the month runs out, I've put together a rather reflective September piece, inspired by a recent stay in Trieste. The city's name, specifically its etymology, had me thinking about lost language and the messiness of mapping linguistic history. https://t.co/vzE0BNqCqH

Thank you, @thetimes, for this joyous review, which bestows the highest British accolade on my book: "lovely". Here's the (paywalled) online version: https://t.co/3r21tiMiYJ

My spies report that there's a two-page spread for 'Why Q Needs U' in The Sunday Times today. I'm very happy to be introduced to its readers as a "pop linguist". 📷 my mum

MODERATOR: Are you willing to commit to NOT raise the sales tax? MIKIE SHERRILL: I'm not going to commit to anything right now. On Nov. 4, vote NO on Mikie Sherrill. ❌

Lovely linguistic expert & author @DannyBate4 popped in to sign his wonderful new book 'Why Q Needs U' - an inspiring journey through the English alphabet. Signed copies available in-store now - the perfect gift 📚🎁

Had a great time catching up with @DannyBate4, and super excited to get my hands on a copy of his new book!! I love learning about new topics and Why Q Needs U is a deep dive into the history of the nuts and bolts of written language- letters.

I gave my book a little christening in London yesterday, in the presence of an assortment of friends, nearly all strangers to one another, yet united in loveliness and generosity. Being the nexus for their conversations was a much greater joy than the whole book/author thing.

I've listened to the first chapters of the audiobook and will never look at an ox head in the same way again. @DannyBate4 is an engaging reader, and is never afraid to say "audiobook" instead of "book". Being author gives extra narration rights.

@DannyBate4 launching his new title in London, with David Adger and Kate Wiles

This is an excellent read!

Wishing a very happy publicationtide to Dr Danny Bate, whose book on our alphabetical heritage I will be grabbing from a bookshop shelf at the earliest opportunity

OUT TODAY Why does 'W' sound like 'double u'? Why are the 'C's in circus pronounced differently? From A-Z, go on a fascinating journey through our alphabet in Why Q Needs U by @DannyBate4, out now! https://t.co/vxY1tjhXn5

Located on two different floors of Foyles, sat by the entrance and with its own table in Waterstones Piccadilly, and stacked ready for tomorrow in Hatchards – a good central London spread for a book that isn't even out yet.

Thanks to @BlinkPublishing and @bonnierbooks_uk, I just met my own book for the first time. We're getting on very well.

One day to go, and my little countdown arrives at the head of the alphabet: A. This chapter of 'Why Q Needs U' takes the reader right back to the earliest days of the alphabet and to Egypt, before setting off along the Mediterranean coastline to Greece. https://t.co/SBEoB095q0

Two days now, and that means the alphabet's second-in-command: the letter B. This chapter sticks with the Greeks, and tackles the question of why they settled on the rightward direction of writing that English still uses. It may have a psychological cause! https://t.co/uzIDF10psW

With three days to go, it's C! The book's third chapter spends time with the Etruscans, who sent the letter C down a new path. It also introduces context-dependent sound changes, something responsible for English's spelling practice of Soft and Hard C. https://t.co/SBEoB09Dfy

https://t.co/i7LmYNUcIa

Four days now, and fourth in the alphabet is D. I took Chapter D as a chance to explore lower-case letters – why we even have the upper/lower-case split, and why the pairs can look a bit different. After all, a D and a d bulge out in opposite directions! https://t.co/SBEoB09Dfy

I went a bit mad in the Vilnius souvenir shops, but you don’t know you need a chocolate map of the ethnographic regions of Lithuania until you see a chocolate map of the ethnographic regions of Lithuania

Five days to go, and E is for English! A brief history of the English language is the topic of Chapter E of 'Why Q Needs U'. It was a big challenge, so I focused on three essentials: the Great Vowel Shift, 'Magic E', and some battle that happened in 1066. https://t.co/SBEoB09Dfy