Stephen Fry explores the highways and byways of the English language in
these four programmes, as heard on BBC Radio 4. 'The Mouth' Why is the
human food processor and word processor in the same unit? Stephen Fry
takes you inside 'this hole we call cake' - the most important part of
speech. 'Brevity' A celebration of the miniature in English. Tim Vine on
the one liner, Kelvin MacKenzie on the beauty of headlines, the lost art
of telegram writing and an English haiku. Good things come in small
packages. 'Persuasion' Lawyers, advertisers, salespeople and market
traders reflect on the way language can be used to change people's minds
and behaviour. Is persuasive language capable of seduction? Peter
Stringfellow has the answer. 'Class' Are we still 'bovvered' by the
issue of class in the way we use language? Ian Macmillan takes a
Yorkshire view of class and speech, and there's a word he still can't
say.