Stock Photo: Cover May Be Different
Click for full-size.
Origins of the Specious: Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language
by O'Conner, Patricia T., Kellerman, Stewart
- Used
- Paperback
- Condition
- Used - Good
- ISBN 10
- 0812978102
- ISBN 13
- 9780812978100
- Seller
-
Frederick, Maryland, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Random House Trade Paperbacks. Used - Good. Good condition. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains.
Synopsis
Do you cringe when a talking head pronounces "niche" as NITCH? Do you get bent out of shape when your teenager begins a sentence with "and," or says "octopuses" instead of "octopi"? Do you think British spellings are more "civilised" than the American versions? Would you bet the bank that "jeep" got its start as a military term and "SOS" as an acronym for "Save Our Ship"? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you're myth-informed. Go stand in the corner--and read this book!In Origins of the Specious, word mavens Patricia T. O'Conner and Stewart Kellerman explode the misconceptions that have led generations of language lovers astray. They reveal why some of grammar's best-known "rules" aren't--and never were--rules at all. They explain how Brits and Yanks wound up speaking the same language so differently, and why British English isn't necessarily purer. This playfully witty yet rigorously researched book sets the record straight about bogus word origins, politically correct fictions, phony francais, fake acronyms, and more. English is an endlessly entertaining, ever-changing language, and yesterday's blooper could be tomorrow's bon mot--or vice versa! Here are some shockers: "They" was once commonly used for both singular and plural, much the way "you" is today. And an eighteenth-century female grammarian, of all people, is largely responsible for the all-purpose "he." The authors take us wherever myths lurk, from the Queen's English to street slang, from Miss Grundy's admonitions to four-letter unmentionables. This eye-opening romp will be the toast of grammarphiles and the salvation of grammarphobes. Take our word for it.From the Hardcover edition.
Reviews
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- Wonder Book
(US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- E19A-02004
- Title
- Origins of the Specious: Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language
- Author
- O'Conner, Patricia T., Kellerman, Stewart
- Book Condition
- Used - Good
- Binding
- Paperback
- ISBN 10
- 0812978102
- ISBN 13
- 9780812978100
- Publisher
- Random House Trade Paperbacks
- This edition first published
- 2010-08-24
Terms of Sale
Wonder Book
RETURNS are cheerfully accepted up to 30 days. We ship out within 1-2 business days and U.S. Standard Shipments usually arrive within 6-9 business days, Priority 3-6.
About the Seller
Wonder Book
Biblio member since 2003
Frederick, Maryland
About Wonder Book
With 3 stores less than 1 hour outside the DC/Metropolitan area (1 in Gaithersburg, 1 in Frederick and 1 in Hagerstown, MD), we have the largest selection of books in the tri-state area. Wonder Book and Video has been in business since 1980 and online since 1997. We have over 1 Million books for sale on our website and another 1 Million books for sale in our 3 locations. We have a very active online inventory and as such, we can receive multiple orders for the same item. We fill those orders on a first come first serve basis, but will refund promptly any items that are out of stock. Since 1980 it has always been about the books. ALL kinds of books from 95 cent children\'s paperbacks to five figure rare and collectibles. A merging of the old and new is where we started, and it is where we are today. Our retail stores have always been places where a reader can rush in looking for a title needed for a term paper that is due the next day, or where bibliophiles can get lost \"in the stacks\" for as long as they wish. In 2002 USAToday recognized us as \"1 of 10 Great Old Bookstores\", and we have been featured in numerous other newspaper and TV stories including Washington Post and CSpan.
This Book’s Categories
What did people buy in 2020?
Plague journals, escapist literature, political history: explore our year in review, where we share rare book trends and a gallery of some of the most beautiful and interesting books sold in 2020.
Collecting P. T. Barnum
P. T. Barnum was not only one of the founders of modern day circus performance, he was also the author of the second most printed book of the 19th century. Learn about collecting P. T. Barnum books and ephemera here.
