What in the Word? Wordplay, Word Lore, and Answers to Your Peskiest Questions about Language (Harvest Original)

What in the Word? Wordplay, Word Lore, and Answers to Your Peskiest Questions about Language (Harvest Original) image
ISBN-10:

0156031973

ISBN-13:

9780156031974

Edition: First Edition
Released: Nov 01, 2005
Format: Paperback, 304 pages
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Description:

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.












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