Misadventures in the English Language
Published on 3. November 2016
192 pages
978-1-78243-649-2 (ISBN)
Description
Misadventures in the English Language looks at some of the controversial aspects of English usage - grammar, vocabulary and punctuation - and tries to assess what matters and what doesn't.
Looking at why it pays to be precise in your punctuation - the hackneyed examples of 'Let's eat Grandma' and 'Eats, Shoots and Leaves' show how a comma can make all the difference - why tautologies are simply annoying; how corporate speak can actually mean nothing at all; and why naughty, awful, sophisticated and virtue are all words that have evolved to mean something completely different, this book covers all the aspects of the English language that could leave you with cause for concern.
It also considers where we are now, appraising (and often praising) the invention of new words - from kidult to piscetarian - including internet-led abbreviations such as JK and IMHO. By turns an explanation of the rules, a rant against gobbledygook and other modern horrors, this book will aid you in avoiding embarrassing cliches and jargon, and help you put your words in the right places, finally enabling you to revel in the richness of the English language.
Reviews for New Words for Old:
'Pleasantly diverting' Guardian
'Fascinating ... perfect for anyone obsessed by wordplay' Yours magazine
Looking at why it pays to be precise in your punctuation - the hackneyed examples of 'Let's eat Grandma' and 'Eats, Shoots and Leaves' show how a comma can make all the difference - why tautologies are simply annoying; how corporate speak can actually mean nothing at all; and why naughty, awful, sophisticated and virtue are all words that have evolved to mean something completely different, this book covers all the aspects of the English language that could leave you with cause for concern.
It also considers where we are now, appraising (and often praising) the invention of new words - from kidult to piscetarian - including internet-led abbreviations such as JK and IMHO. By turns an explanation of the rules, a rant against gobbledygook and other modern horrors, this book will aid you in avoiding embarrassing cliches and jargon, and help you put your words in the right places, finally enabling you to revel in the richness of the English language.
Reviews for New Words for Old:
'Pleasantly diverting' Guardian
'Fascinating ... perfect for anyone obsessed by wordplay' Yours magazine
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
File size
2,68 MB
ISBN-13
978-1-78243-649-2 (9781782436492)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Caroline Taggart
Misadventures in the English Language
Book
11/2016
Michael O'Mara Books Ltd
€32.37
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Person
Caroline Taggart worked in publishing as an editor of popular non-fiction for thirty years before being asked by Michael O'Mara Books to write I Used to Know That, which became a Sunday Times bestseller. Following that she was co-author of My Grammar and I (or should that be 'Me'?), and wrote a number of other books about words and English usage. She has appeared frequently on television and on national and regional radio, talking about language, grammar and whether or not Druids Cross should have an apostrophe.
Her website is carolinetaggart.co.uk and you can follow her on Twitter @citaggart.
Her website is carolinetaggart.co.uk and you can follow her on Twitter @citaggart.
