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  • Dent's Modern Tribes

  • The Secret Languages of Britain
  • By: Susie Dent
  • Narrated by: Susie Dent
  • Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins
  • 4.2 out of 5 stars (79 ratings)
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Dent's Modern Tribes

By: Susie Dent
Narrated by: Susie Dent
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Summary

Learn how to decode the private languages that are swapped around us every day - amongst cabbies and paramedics, soap stars and comedians, cricketers and barristers - in Susie Dent's unique and witty guide to Britain's modern tribes.

Did you know that a soldier's biggest social blunder is called 'jack brew' - making yourself a cuppa without making one for anyone else? That twitchers have an expression for a bird that can't be identified - LBJ (the letters stand for little brown job)? Or that builders call plastering the ceiling 'doing Lionel Richie's dancefloor'? Susie Dent does.

Ever wondered why football managers all speak the same way, what a cabbie calls the Houses of Parliament, or how ticket inspectors discreetly request backup? We are surrounded by hundreds of tribes, each speaking its own distinct slanguage of colourful words, jokes and phrases, honed through years of conversations on the battlefield, in A&E, backstage, or at 10,000 feet in the air.

Susie Dent has spent years interviewing hundreds of professionals, hobbyists and enthusiasts, and the result is an idiosyncratic phrasebook like no other. From the Freemason's handshake to the publican's banter, Dent's Modern Tribes takes us on a whirlwind tour of Britain, decoding its secret languages and, in the process, finds out what really makes us all tick.

©2016 Susie Dent (P)2016 John Murray Press

What listeners say about Dent's Modern Tribes

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

A flirt through social and professional groups

This book is a whistle stop tour around certain words and phrases which can often be heard around us but which as an outsider may not be understood. Part of this book is about attempting to eradicate those negative feelings of being an outsider and to allow us to feel more inclusive, like we are part of these select communities. This book allows glimpses into the hallowed inner sanctum of the modern tribe and how they have allowed themselves to be formed and defined through their use of language.

I found this to be a fun and informative book which could be dipped in and out of at the reader’s leisure. As an audiobook this removes from the listener their responsibility to give their full undivided attention to the book and story. Instead it allows the listener to listen while they are doing other activities and to come back for repeat listenings in which new information could be learned.

The only criticism I would have about this book is that while the words and phrases are explained and translated there was often little information about the origins of the words and phrases. Nor was it fully explained why this particular tribe may be using these words. Some were self-explanatory and may have not deserved full explanations but with some words and phrases I was left wanting more information.

However, I enjoyed the book and I also enjoyed Susie Dent voice over the audiobook. I felt this through her various asides within the reading gave the audiobook extra substance, in addition I found her enthusiasm and obvious love of words to be contagious. I would recommend this audiobook to others however I feel it is more likely to appeal to those with an already established interest within words who may feel the book wanting due to the lack of depth.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
  • Mr
  • 25-10-16

Dent's Modern Tribes

This book by Susie Dent is just Absolutely Fabulous hearing. I regular go and watch countdown being filmed so I have become very good friends with Susie dent. Who told me all about this book throughout the process? And I must say it has lived up to the hype. I would recommend H and every person to download this book if you are interested in learning more about. Language from around the country. Well done Susie. It is an amazing book.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Susie reads some words

I love Susie Dent. But really this is a book about a variety of groups of people who have a specific bunch of words or phrases they use and she just reads them out. If you want a few hours listening to a bullet list of basic words and descriptions then great, but I was hoping for more. Susie has obviously done a lot of research but ultimately what you get is a dictionary split into themes, with basic definitions read to you. Fairly dull.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

a great book!

brilliantly written anthroplogic study of england language! well narrated and lovingly put together.my first book of Suzie I've read and wondered why I havent read it sooner

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Enjoyable but a bit short and rushed in places.

Some of the sections were very entertaining and informative but quite often the book felt rushed in places and padded out in others.

The narrator has a great voice.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Sadly not as interesting as hoped.

The English language is a very rich field to explore andMs Dent has chosen well in tribes. Full of interesting facts and fictions told with some humour and light touches.
However, she can get a bit monotonous, reading too quickly, that you suddenly realise the topic has changed.
I would recommend Bill Bryson's Mother Tongue for another amusing look at our language.

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