Wordwatching

Field Notes From an Amateur Philologist

Julian Burnside

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English

Scribe Publications
26 October 2009

Usage & grammar guides; Language: history & general works; Reference

Summary
Details

We live in a torrent of words - from radio and television, books and newspapers, and now from the internet. But, as Julian Burnside reminds us here, words are a source both of pleasure and power, and can be deployed for good or for ill.

Some of these essays explore curiosities in odd corners of the language simply to remind us of the extraordinary richness of the English language. Other pieces use small matters of language to illustrate larger processes of cultural borrowing and change. Burnside's musings remind us that we should not be alarmed at the instability of the language; rather, we should see its wanton borrowings as a source of strength and vitality.

Word Watching also reminds us of the need to be aware of the misuse of language in the service of sinister purposes - whether political, ideological, social or personal. An ear well tuned to the nuances of vocabulary inoculates the hearer against this epidemic of deception.

Citing everyone from the ancient Greeks to Samuel Johnson, George Orwell, Ned Kelly, George W. Bush, and John Howard, Word Watching is a fascinating demonstration of the power and the pleasure of the English language.

By: Julian Burnside
Imprint: Scribe Publications
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions: Height: 207mm, Width: 135mm, Spine: 26mm
Weight: 364g
ISBN: 9781921640179
ISBN 10: 1921640170
Pages: 336
Publication Date: 26 October 2009
Audience: General/trade , College/higher education , ELT Advanced , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active