Offers a journey through the intricacies, puzzles, and quirks of the English language, tracing the history of English from its earliest origins to the present day.

Rhetoric is among the most ancient academic disciplines, and we all use it every day whether expertly or not. This book is a lively set of lessons on the subject. It is about rhetorical figures: practical ways of applying old and powerful principles--repetition and variety, suspense and relief, concealment and surprise, the creation of expectations and then the satisfaction or frustration of them--to the composition of a simple sentence or a complete...

In the most decorous of ways, delve into the world of taboo language - the inappropriate lexicon that has the power to make us laugh or blush, to offend or hurt, and to establish solidarity. After learning about the utility and ubiquity of such language, you'll have the opportunity to reflect on the changing standards of What makes a word taboo.

"The American Heritage® Children's Dictionary has been completely revised, updated, and redesigned for a brand-new edition, ensuring that this title remains fresh and current while providing the visual appeal needed to captivate young readers. For this brand-new edition, every definition has been reviewed, and hundreds of new senses and new words and definitionsranging from android to veganhave been added. This edition includes a brand-new feature,...

Mignon Fogarty, a. k. a. Grammar Girl, is determined to wipe out bad grammar-but she's also determined to make the process as painless as possible. One year ago, she created a weekly podcast to tackle some of the most common mistakes people make while communicating. More than seven million episodes have now been downloaded, and Mignon has dispensed grammar tips on Oprah and appeared on the pages of the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and...

Fully integrated dictionary and thesaurus with 2-color text. 67,000 dictionary definitions; 140,000 synonyms and antonyms. Canadian words and spellings.