This indispensable guide to the English language belongs beside the dictionary in every Canadian home. Written in an easy-to-understand light-hearted style, the content of the book is nevertheless serious and important. Our language is declining; illiteracy is rampant. Worse, the sloppy, incorrect use of language is perpetrated by educators, the media, politicians, and others who should be setting a good example.
Besides giving simple illustrations of the correct use of grammar and choice of words, the author deals with the commonest offences: language misused, mis-spelled, and misunderstood, and the appalling use of words (usually incorrect) that many people consider sophisticated or "classy."
Using actual quotations from essays of university students, the media, and even "good" books, the author clearly defines bad English and explains in a straightforward manner how to change it to good English. What makes this book unique is its complete lack of pretentiousness and its powerful plea for the return of plain English.
Authors
- Bibliography, etc. Note
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 154-155)
- Control Number Identifier
- CaOOCEL
- Dewey Decimal Classification Number
- 428
- Dewey Decimal Edition Number
- 20
- General Note
- Originally published: Willowdale, Ont. : Hounslow Press, c1992 Issued as part of the desLibris books collection
- ISBN
- 9781554881987 0888821433
- LCCN
- PE1460
- LCCN Item number
- B72 1992eb
- Modifying agency
- CaBNVSL
- Original cataloging agency
- CaBNVSL
- Physical Description | Extent
- 1 electronic text (x, 156 p.)
- Published in
- Canada
- Publisher or Distributor Number
- CaOOCEL
- Rights
- Access restricted to authorized users and institutions
- System Control Number
- (CaBNVSL)thg00602933 (OCoLC)719733670 (CaOOCEL)410450
- System Details Note
- Mode of access: World Wide Web
- Transcribing agency
- CaBNVSL
Table of Contents
- Contents 8
- Foreword 10
- 1 Talking Classy 14
- 2 Dat's a Good Woid 20
- 3 Some Too Frequently Utilized "Good Woids" 21
- 4 Oh, Say, CBC 26
- 5 English Grammar: As It Lays Dyeing 29
- 6 From Whence These Apotheoses and Epiphanies? 40
- 7 Lost Words and Losing Battles 52
- 8 Redundancy and Related Absurdities 59
- 9 Prepositions, Pronouns, and Other Booby-traps 62
- 10 Confusion Worse Confounded: Odd Couples 66
- 11 Spelling Bee 71
- 12 Trippingly on the Tongue: Casualties of Pronunciation 76
- 13 Mind the Stop! Developing Comma Sense 80
- 14 Foreign Classy 83
- 15 Mad Metaphors 90
- 16 Politically Correct? 96
- 17 Jargon, Gobbledegook, and Bafflegab 101
- 18 The Naughty Bits 112
- 19 The Ed Biz 123
- 20 Words and Music 132
- 21 In a Fine Frenzy 136
- 22 Coolspeak and Other In-talk 143
- 23 Lying Language 153
- 24 Patriotism and Propaganda 157
- 25 Conclusion 163
- Bibliography 167
- Acknowledgements 169
