The American Language by Henry Louis Mencken

The American Language: An Inquiry Into the Development of English in the United States

The American Language; An Inquiry into the Development of English in the United States was first published in 1919 and examines the evolution of English in America, defending it against critics who considered it a corruption of British English. Mencken was inspired by the street argot of Washington waiters, his experiences in Baltimore, and the works of Mark Twain. He sought to document the language of ordinary Americans, emphasizing its vividness, color, and creativity compared to British English.