WORD ABUSE: How the Words We Use Use Us

by Donna Woolfolk Cross ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 28, 1978

A playful but unoriginal overview of modern language misuse, less splenetic than Newman's Strictly Speaking but entertaining nonetheless. Cross amply documents her case against language abusers: doctors and lawyers get away with it as well as advertising writers, the media, and ""straight-A illiterates."" She also offers an astute and livety chapter on dirty words (""There's simply no substitute for a dirty word when you're in the mood for one""), another on euphemisms, and then takes on ""easy words""--clichÉs, mixed metaphors, catchwords, slogans--citing Frank Sulllvan's Mr. Arbuthnot and other amusing examples. We'll overlook two bloopers appearing in our uncorrected edition and just pass along some of the finer mots: English newspaperman Northcliffe's ""Never lose your sense of the superficial"" and an anonymous letter writer's ""I am glad to report that my husband who is missing is dead.

Pub Date: Feb. 28, 1978

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1978

Categories: NONFICTION