Wordwatching

From radio and television to books, newspapers, and the internet, this newly updated guide attempts to filter today’s torrent of words through essays that explore curiosities in odd corners of the English language and highlight its extraordinary richness. Additional pieces use smaller matters to illustrate larger processes of cultural borrowing and change. Maintaining that the instability of the language should instead be seen as a symbol of strength and vitality, this analysis also emphasizes awareness of its misuse in the service of sinister purposes—whether political, ideological, social, or personal. Featuring eight new chapters and citing a wide range of sources from the ancient Greeks to Samuel Johnson, George Orwell, Ned Kelly, George W. Bush, and John Howard, this is a fascinating demonstration of the power and pleasure of the English language.