Origins of the Specious: Myths and Misconceptions of the English Language (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780812978100)

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"? Do you think British spellings are more "civilised" than the American versions? If you answered yes to any of those questions, you're myth-informed.

In Origins of the Specious, word mavens Patricia T. O'Conner and Stewart Kellerman reveal why some of grammar's best-known "rules" aren't--and never were--rules at all. This playfully witty, rigorously researched book sets the record straight about bogus word origins, politically correct fictions, phony fran ais, fake acronyms, and more. 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." From the Queen's English to street slang, this eye-opening romp will be the toast of grammarphiles and the salvation of grammarphobes. Take our word for it.

Author: Patricia T. O'Conner, Stewart Kellerman
ISBN-10: 0812978102
ISBN-13: 9780812978100
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Language: English
Published: 08/24/2010
Pages: 288
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.47lbs
Size: 8.10h x 5.24w x 0.65d

Review Citation(s):
New York Times Book Review 09/05/2010 pg. 24