{"product_id":"what-in-the-word-charles-harrington-elster-9780156031974","title":"What in the Word?: Wordplay, Word Lore, and Answers to Your Peskiest Questions about Language","description":"Are you so sure about \"assure,\" \"ensure,\" and \"insure\"? Can you determine whether a knob of butter is equivalent to a lump or a pat or a scosh? Can you say which word in the English language has the most definitions, or who put the H in Jesus H. Christ? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e If you can't, be assured that Charles Harrington Elster, author of several well-loved works on language, can--and does in his latest book, a delightfully designed compendium of the most common, interesting, and entertaining conundrums in our language. Drawing upon esoteric sources and his own inimitable expertise, Elster uses a lively question-and-answer format to cover a variety of topics--word and phrase origins, slang, style, usage, punctuation, and pronunciation. Every chapter features original brainteasers, challenging puzzles, and a trove of literary trivia.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Charles Harrington Elster\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0156031973\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780156031974\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Houghton Mifflin\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 11\/01\/2005\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 304\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.67lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 8.00h x 5.34w x 0.72d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eReview Citation(s): \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eIngram Advance\u003c\/i\u003e 11\/01\/2005 pg. 91\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e 11\/01\/2005 pg. 9\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e 01\/01\/2006 pg. 173\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003eShelf Awareness\u003c\/i\u003e 01\/01\/0001","brand":"Charles Harrington Elster","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":43988809285887,"sku":"9780156031974","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_fd6f4be6-c636-4f71-a1eb-ebf914b59878.jpg?v=1683296521","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/what-in-the-word-charles-harrington-elster-9780156031974","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}