Dewdroppers, Waldos, and Slackers

Dewdroppers, Waldos, and Slackers

Author: Rosemarie Ostler

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2005-09-29

Total Pages: 260

ISBN-13: 9780195182545

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Giving yesterday's words another chance to sparkle before they retire to the archives for good, Dewdroppers, Waldos, and Slackers focuses on language that still resonates with the mood of its times.


Book Synopsis Dewdroppers, Waldos, and Slackers by : Rosemarie Ostler

Download or read book Dewdroppers, Waldos, and Slackers written by Rosemarie Ostler and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2005-09-29 with total page 260 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Giving yesterday's words another chance to sparkle before they retire to the archives for good, Dewdroppers, Waldos, and Slackers focuses on language that still resonates with the mood of its times.


Recommended Reference Books for Small and Medium-Sized Libraries and Media Centers

Recommended Reference Books for Small and Medium-Sized Libraries and Media Centers

Author: Martin Dillon

Publisher: Libraries Unlimited

Published: 2004-04-30

Total Pages: 376

ISBN-13: 9781591581680

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Essential for reference work and indispensable for collection development, this book helps you quickly identify the best, most affordable, and most appropriate new reference titles in any given field. The approximately 500 books reviewed in this 23rd annual edition have been selected from American Reference Books Annual (Libraries Unlimited, 2003) as the best works for smaller libraries. A must if your budget precludes ARBA, this time-saving tool also makes an excellent supplement.


Book Synopsis Recommended Reference Books for Small and Medium-Sized Libraries and Media Centers by : Martin Dillon

Download or read book Recommended Reference Books for Small and Medium-Sized Libraries and Media Centers written by Martin Dillon and published by Libraries Unlimited. This book was released on 2004-04-30 with total page 376 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Essential for reference work and indispensable for collection development, this book helps you quickly identify the best, most affordable, and most appropriate new reference titles in any given field. The approximately 500 books reviewed in this 23rd annual edition have been selected from American Reference Books Annual (Libraries Unlimited, 2003) as the best works for smaller libraries. A must if your budget precludes ARBA, this time-saving tool also makes an excellent supplement.


The Hidden History of Coined Words

The Hidden History of Coined Words

Author: Ralph Keyes

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2021-02-19

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 0190466782

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Successful word-coinages--those that stay in currency for a good long time--tend to conceal their beginnings. We take them at face value and rarely when and where they were first minted. Engaging, illuminating, and authoritative, Ralph Keyes's The Hidden History of Coined Words explores the etymological underworld of terms and expressions and uncovers plenty of hidden gems. He also finds some fascinating patterns, such as that successful neologisms are as likely to be created by chance as by design. A remarkable number of new words were coined whimsically, originally intended to troll or taunt. Knickers, for example, resulted from a hoax; big bang from an insult. Casual wisecracking produced software, crowdsource, and blog. More than a few resulted from happy accidents, such as typos, mistranslations, and mishearing (bigly and buttonhole), or from being taken entirely out of context (robotics). Neologizers (a Thomas Jefferson coinage) include not just scholars and writers but cartoonists, columnists, children's book authors. Wimp originated with a book series, as did goop, and nerd from a book by Dr. Seuss. Coinages are often contested, controversy swirling around such terms as gonzo, mojo, and booty call. Keyes considers all contenders, while also leading us through the fray between new word partisans, and those who resist them strenuously. He concludes with advice about how to make your own successful coinage. The Hidden History of Coined Words will appeal not just to word mavens but history buffs, trivia contesters, and anyone who loves the immersive power of language.


Book Synopsis The Hidden History of Coined Words by : Ralph Keyes

Download or read book The Hidden History of Coined Words written by Ralph Keyes and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2021-02-19 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Successful word-coinages--those that stay in currency for a good long time--tend to conceal their beginnings. We take them at face value and rarely when and where they were first minted. Engaging, illuminating, and authoritative, Ralph Keyes's The Hidden History of Coined Words explores the etymological underworld of terms and expressions and uncovers plenty of hidden gems. He also finds some fascinating patterns, such as that successful neologisms are as likely to be created by chance as by design. A remarkable number of new words were coined whimsically, originally intended to troll or taunt. Knickers, for example, resulted from a hoax; big bang from an insult. Casual wisecracking produced software, crowdsource, and blog. More than a few resulted from happy accidents, such as typos, mistranslations, and mishearing (bigly and buttonhole), or from being taken entirely out of context (robotics). Neologizers (a Thomas Jefferson coinage) include not just scholars and writers but cartoonists, columnists, children's book authors. Wimp originated with a book series, as did goop, and nerd from a book by Dr. Seuss. Coinages are often contested, controversy swirling around such terms as gonzo, mojo, and booty call. Keyes considers all contenders, while also leading us through the fray between new word partisans, and those who resist them strenuously. He concludes with advice about how to make your own successful coinage. The Hidden History of Coined Words will appeal not just to word mavens but history buffs, trivia contesters, and anyone who loves the immersive power of language.


What is English?

What is English?

Author: Tim William Machan

Publisher: OUP Oxford

Published: 2013-08-23

Total Pages: 416

ISBN-13: 0191668362

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What is English? Can we be as certain as we usually are when we say something is not English? To find some answers Tim Machan explores the language's present and past, and looks ahead to its futures among the one and a half billion people who speak it. His search is fascinating and important, for definitions of English have influenced education and law in many countries and helped shape the identities of those who live in them. Finding an account that fits the constantly changing varieties of English is, Tim Machan finds, anything but simple. But he rises to the challenge, grappling with its elusive essence through episodes in its history. He looks at the ambitions of Caxton, the preoccupations of Johnson, and the eloquence of Churchill, tussles with the jargons of contemporary business, and pursues his object from rural America to James Cook's Australia. He examines creoles, pidgins, and dialects, and takes apart competing histories showing their assumptions and prejudices. Finally he reveals the stable category English, resting paradoxically within its constantly mutating forms and varieties. This is a book for everyone interested in English and the role of language in society and culture.


Book Synopsis What is English? by : Tim William Machan

Download or read book What is English? written by Tim William Machan and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2013-08-23 with total page 416 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What is English? Can we be as certain as we usually are when we say something is not English? To find some answers Tim Machan explores the language's present and past, and looks ahead to its futures among the one and a half billion people who speak it. His search is fascinating and important, for definitions of English have influenced education and law in many countries and helped shape the identities of those who live in them. Finding an account that fits the constantly changing varieties of English is, Tim Machan finds, anything but simple. But he rises to the challenge, grappling with its elusive essence through episodes in its history. He looks at the ambitions of Caxton, the preoccupations of Johnson, and the eloquence of Churchill, tussles with the jargons of contemporary business, and pursues his object from rural America to James Cook's Australia. He examines creoles, pidgins, and dialects, and takes apart competing histories showing their assumptions and prejudices. Finally he reveals the stable category English, resting paradoxically within its constantly mutating forms and varieties. This is a book for everyone interested in English and the role of language in society and culture.


Monkey to Man

Monkey to Man

Author: Gowan Dawson

Publisher: Yale University Press

Published: 2024-02-27

Total Pages: 392

ISBN-13: 0300277237

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The first book to examine the iconic depiction of evolution, the “march of progress,” and its role in shaping our understanding of how humans evolved We are all familiar with the “march of progress,” the representation of evolution that depicts a series of apelike creatures becoming progressively taller and more erect before finally reaching the upright human form. Its emphasis on linear progress has had a decisive impact on public understanding of evolution, yet the image contradicts modern scientific conceptions of evolution as complex and branching. This book is the first to examine the origins and history of this ubiquitous and hugely consequential illustration. In a story spanning more than a century, from Victorian Britain to America in the Space Age, Gowan Dawson traces the interconnected histories of the two most important versions of the image: the frontispiece to Thomas Henry Huxley’s Evidence as to Man’s Place in Nature (1863) and “The Road to Homo Sapiens,” a fold-out illustration in the best-selling book Early Man (1965). Dawson explores how the recurring appearances of this image pointed to shifting scientific and public perspectives on human evolution, as well as indicated novel artistic approaches and advancements in technology.


Book Synopsis Monkey to Man by : Gowan Dawson

Download or read book Monkey to Man written by Gowan Dawson and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2024-02-27 with total page 392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first book to examine the iconic depiction of evolution, the “march of progress,” and its role in shaping our understanding of how humans evolved We are all familiar with the “march of progress,” the representation of evolution that depicts a series of apelike creatures becoming progressively taller and more erect before finally reaching the upright human form. Its emphasis on linear progress has had a decisive impact on public understanding of evolution, yet the image contradicts modern scientific conceptions of evolution as complex and branching. This book is the first to examine the origins and history of this ubiquitous and hugely consequential illustration. In a story spanning more than a century, from Victorian Britain to America in the Space Age, Gowan Dawson traces the interconnected histories of the two most important versions of the image: the frontispiece to Thomas Henry Huxley’s Evidence as to Man’s Place in Nature (1863) and “The Road to Homo Sapiens,” a fold-out illustration in the best-selling book Early Man (1965). Dawson explores how the recurring appearances of this image pointed to shifting scientific and public perspectives on human evolution, as well as indicated novel artistic approaches and advancements in technology.


The Cambridge Companion to World Literature

The Cambridge Companion to World Literature

Author: Ben Etherington

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2018-11-22

Total Pages: 289

ISBN-13: 1108471374

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This Companion presents lucid and exemplary critical essays, introducing readers to the major ideas and practices of world literary studies.


Book Synopsis The Cambridge Companion to World Literature by : Ben Etherington

Download or read book The Cambridge Companion to World Literature written by Ben Etherington and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2018-11-22 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This Companion presents lucid and exemplary critical essays, introducing readers to the major ideas and practices of world literary studies.


One Word

One Word

Author: Molly McQuade

Publisher: Sarabande Books

Published: 2013-12-13

Total Pages: 270

ISBN-13: 1936747243

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"One Word" asks the question writers and readers love to answer: what word means the most to you, and why?


Book Synopsis One Word by : Molly McQuade

Download or read book One Word written by Molly McQuade and published by Sarabande Books. This book was released on 2013-12-13 with total page 270 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "One Word" asks the question writers and readers love to answer: what word means the most to you, and why?


Borrowings in Informal American English

Borrowings in Informal American English

Author: Małgorzata Kowalczyk

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2023-08-31

Total Pages: 347

ISBN-13: 1009346881

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What do 'bimbo,' 'glitch,' 'savvy,' and 'shtick' all have in common? They are all expressions used in informal American English that have been taken from other languages. This pioneering book provides a comprehensive description of borrowings in informal American English, based on a large database of citations from thousands of contemporary sources, including the press, film, and TV. It presents the United States as a linguistic 'melting pot,' with words from a diverse range of languages now frequently appearing in the lexicon. It examines these borrowings from various perspectives, including discussions of terms, donors, types, changes, functions, and themes. It also features an alphabetical glossary of 1,200 representative expressions, defined and illustrated by 5,500 usage examples, providing an insightful and practical resource for readers. Combining scholarship with readability, this book is a fascinating storehouse of information for students and researchers in linguistics as well as anyone interested in lexical variation in contemporary English.


Book Synopsis Borrowings in Informal American English by : Małgorzata Kowalczyk

Download or read book Borrowings in Informal American English written by Małgorzata Kowalczyk and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2023-08-31 with total page 347 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What do 'bimbo,' 'glitch,' 'savvy,' and 'shtick' all have in common? They are all expressions used in informal American English that have been taken from other languages. This pioneering book provides a comprehensive description of borrowings in informal American English, based on a large database of citations from thousands of contemporary sources, including the press, film, and TV. It presents the United States as a linguistic 'melting pot,' with words from a diverse range of languages now frequently appearing in the lexicon. It examines these borrowings from various perspectives, including discussions of terms, donors, types, changes, functions, and themes. It also features an alphabetical glossary of 1,200 representative expressions, defined and illustrated by 5,500 usage examples, providing an insightful and practical resource for readers. Combining scholarship with readability, this book is a fascinating storehouse of information for students and researchers in linguistics as well as anyone interested in lexical variation in contemporary English.


Words

Words

Author: Dale D. Johnson

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2018-04-17

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 0429982607

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Written by respected authorities in the fields of education and literacy studies, Words: The Foundation of Literacy is a groundbreaking book for teachers, administrators, and education students. Dale and Bonnie Johnson present a fresh, inspiring reminder of why studying language (from word origins to word structure) is such a vital first step in the development of students' vocabulary, literacy, writing skills, and overall ability to learn. At a time when high-stakes testing has squeezed substance from many curricula, Johnson and Johnson provide ways to enhance students' understanding, interest, and appreciation of language and all its subtleties. Words explores how meaning in language is created by the use and interrelationships of words, phrases, and sentences, their denotations, connotations, implications, and ambiguities. From birth, most children exhibit a natural interest in language: its sounds, nuances, and unpredictable qualities. It is important to sustain, stimulate, and recapture that natural interest in the classroom, and Words provides a multitude of creative and practical techniques for doing so.


Book Synopsis Words by : Dale D. Johnson

Download or read book Words written by Dale D. Johnson and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-04-17 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Written by respected authorities in the fields of education and literacy studies, Words: The Foundation of Literacy is a groundbreaking book for teachers, administrators, and education students. Dale and Bonnie Johnson present a fresh, inspiring reminder of why studying language (from word origins to word structure) is such a vital first step in the development of students' vocabulary, literacy, writing skills, and overall ability to learn. At a time when high-stakes testing has squeezed substance from many curricula, Johnson and Johnson provide ways to enhance students' understanding, interest, and appreciation of language and all its subtleties. Words explores how meaning in language is created by the use and interrelationships of words, phrases, and sentences, their denotations, connotations, implications, and ambiguities. From birth, most children exhibit a natural interest in language: its sounds, nuances, and unpredictable qualities. It is important to sustain, stimulate, and recapture that natural interest in the classroom, and Words provides a multitude of creative and practical techniques for doing so.


Founding Grammars

Founding Grammars

Author: Rosemarie Ostler

Publisher: Macmillan + ORM

Published: 2015-05-12

Total Pages: 284

ISBN-13: 1466846283

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Who decided not to split infinitives? With whom should we take issue if in fact, we wish to boldly write what no grammarian hath writ before? In Founding Grammars, Rosemarie Ostler delves into the roots of our grammar obsession to answer these questions and many more. Standard grammar and accurate spelling are widely considered hallmarks of a good education, but their exact definitions are much more contentious - capable of inciting a full-blown grammar war at the splice of a comma, battles readily visible in the media and online in the comments of blogs and chat rooms. With an accessible and enthusiastic journalistic approach, Ostler considers these grammatical shibboleths, tracing current debates back to America's earliest days, an era when most families owned only two books - the Bible and a grammar primer. Along the way, she investigates colorful historical characters on both sides of the grammar debate in her efforts to unmask the origins of contemporary speech. Linguistic founding fathers like Noah Webster, Tory expatriate Lindley Murray, and post-Civil War literary critic Richard Grant White,all play a featured role in creating the rules we've come to use, and occasionally discard, throughout the years. Founding Grammars is for curious readers who want to know where grammar rules have come from, where they've been, and where they might go next.


Book Synopsis Founding Grammars by : Rosemarie Ostler

Download or read book Founding Grammars written by Rosemarie Ostler and published by Macmillan + ORM. This book was released on 2015-05-12 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Who decided not to split infinitives? With whom should we take issue if in fact, we wish to boldly write what no grammarian hath writ before? In Founding Grammars, Rosemarie Ostler delves into the roots of our grammar obsession to answer these questions and many more. Standard grammar and accurate spelling are widely considered hallmarks of a good education, but their exact definitions are much more contentious - capable of inciting a full-blown grammar war at the splice of a comma, battles readily visible in the media and online in the comments of blogs and chat rooms. With an accessible and enthusiastic journalistic approach, Ostler considers these grammatical shibboleths, tracing current debates back to America's earliest days, an era when most families owned only two books - the Bible and a grammar primer. Along the way, she investigates colorful historical characters on both sides of the grammar debate in her efforts to unmask the origins of contemporary speech. Linguistic founding fathers like Noah Webster, Tory expatriate Lindley Murray, and post-Civil War literary critic Richard Grant White,all play a featured role in creating the rules we've come to use, and occasionally discard, throughout the years. Founding Grammars is for curious readers who want to know where grammar rules have come from, where they've been, and where they might go next.