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What in the Word? : Wordplay, Word Lore, and Answers to Your Peskiest Questions about Language by Charles Harrington Elster (2005, Trade Paperback)

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Title: What In The Word?. Can You Say Which Word In The English Language Has The Most Definitions, Or Who Put The H In Jesus H Christ?. Language: English. Number of Pages: 286. Weight: 0.67 lbs. Publication Date: 2005-11-01.

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Product Information

Are you so sure about "assure," "ensure," and "insure"? Can you determine whether a knob of butter is equivalent to a lump or a pat or a scosh? Can you say which word in the English language has the most definitions, or who put the H in Jesus H. Christ? If you can't, be assured that Charles Harrington Elster, author of several well-loved works on language, can--and does in his latest book, a delightfully designed compendium of the most common, interesting, and entertaining conundrums in our language. Drawing upon esoteric sources and his own inimitable expertise, Elster uses a lively question-and-answer format to cover a variety of topics--word and phrase origins, slang, style, usage, punctuation, and pronunciation. Every chapter features original brainteasers, challenging puzzles, and a trove of literary trivia.

Product Identifiers

Publisher
HarperCollins
ISBN-10
0156031973
ISBN-13
9780156031974
eBay Product ID (ePID)
46017068

Product Key Features

Author
Charles Harrington Elster
Publication Name
What in the Word? : Wordplay, Word Lore, and Answers to Your Peskiest Questions about Language
Format
Trade Paperback
Language
English
Publication Year
2005
Type
Not Available
Number of Pages
304 Pages

Dimensions

Item Length
8in
Item Height
0.7in
Item Width
5.3in
Item Weight
12.1 Oz

Additional Product Features

Lc Classification Number
Pe1574.E57 2005
Reviews
PRAISE FORTHE BIG BOOK OF BEASTLY MISPRONUNCIATIONS "Ek-STROR-di-ner-ee. The best survey of the spoken field in years."--William Safire,The New York Times Magazine, PRAISE FOR THE BIG BOOK OF BEASTLY MISPRONUNCIATIONS "Ek-STROR-di-ner-ee. The best survey of the spoken field in years."--William Safire, The New York Times Magazine --, PRAISE FOR THE BIG BOOK OF BEASTLY MISPRONUNCIATIONS "Ek-STROR-di-ner-ee. The best survey of the spoken field in years."--William Safire, The New York Times Magazine
Table of Content
CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS INTRODUCTION ONE ONCE UPON A WORD Word histories, mysteries, hoaxes, and hype: sorting the tall tales from the truth TWO A Slough of Solecisms Wherein the author leads you safely out of a morass of mistakes and misperceptions into the clear, comforting light of correct English THREE The Grandiloquent Gumshoe Words recovered, discovered, and devised FOUR The Elegance of Style Distinctions, clarifications, niceties, and other little things that make your language more polished and precise FIVE A Civil Tongue Wherein the author launders your pronunciation and presses you to speak with propriety and poise SIX Born in the USA Some quintessentially American words and expressions, from okay to humongous, with some other American stuff thrown in just for fun SEVEN The wonder of words A fascinating farrago of word lore and wordplay that just didn't fit anywhere else ANSWERS TO THE BODACIOUS BRAINTEASERS SOURCES CITED INDEX
Copyright Date
2005
Topic
Vocabulary, Grammar & Punctuation, Word Lists, Linguistics / Etymology
Lccn
2005-008899
Dewey Decimal
422
Intended Audience
Trade
Dewey Edition
22
Genre
Référence, Language Arts & Disciplines

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Most relevant reviews

5 out of 5 stars
by pjT1_z0iQwS@Del...Oct 02, 2008
Outstanding work!
Charles Harrington Elster has always been one of my favourite authors. Not only is he a trustworthy authority on the English language, his books are delightful and informative. "What in the Word?" is not an exception. It certainly addresses the peskiest questions in pronunciation, etymology, grammar, et c. I enjoy reading it!
5 out of 5 stars
by bob.groveDec 30, 2015
Elster has masterfully assembled this 280 page compendium of grammatical blunders and paradoxes.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned

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