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You're Saying It Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words--and Their Tangled Histories of Misuse

Ross Petras - Ten Speed Press
Format: Print book

For word nerds and grammar geeks, an illustrated guide to the most commonly mispronounced words, along with their correct pronunciations and pithy forays into their fascinating etymologies and histories of use and misuse.With wit and good humor, this handy little book not only saves us from...
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When in French: Love in a Second Language

Lauren Collins - Penguin Books
Format: Print book

A language barrier is no match for love. Lauren Collins discovered this firsthand when, in her early thirties, she moved to London and fell for a Frenchman named Olivier - a surprising turn of events for someone who didn't have a passport until she was in college. But what does it mean...
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Other-Wordly: words both strange and lovely from around the world

Yee-Lum Mak - Chronicle Books LLC
Format: Print book

Discover words to surprise, delight, and enamor. Learn terms for the sunlight that filters through the leaves of trees, for dancing awkwardly but with relish, and for the look shared by two people who each wish the other would speak first. Other-Wordly is an irresistible gift for lovers...
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What the F: What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains, and Ourselves

Benjamin K Bergen - Basic Books
Format: Hardcover

It may be starred, beeped, and censored--yet profanity is so appealing that we can't stop using it. In the funniest, clearest study to date, Benjamin Bergen explains why, and what that tells us about our language and brains.Nearly everyone swears-whether it's over a few too many drinks,...
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Speaking American: How Y'all, Youse , and You Guys Talk: A Visual Guide

Josh Katz - Houghton Mifflin
Format: Print book

From the creator of the New York Times dialect quiz that ignited conversations about how and why we say the words we say, a stunning and delightful exploration of American language Did you know that your answers to just a handful of questions can reveal where you grew up? In December 2013,...
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Savoir Faire: 1,000 Foreign Words and Phrases You Should Know to Sound Smart

Laura Lee - Wellfleet
Format: Print book

Add hundreds of foreign phrases to your daily lexicon and learn about their quirky, fascinating origins!Some foreign phrases are so good they become a sort of lingua franca. They capture the true zeitgeist, where the English translation is just comme ci, comme ca. If you're a linguistics...
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Travel Slanguage

Mike Ellis - Gibbs Smith
Format: Book

The popular Slanguage series takes on the topic of travel itself, presenting more than two dozen travel-related words and phrases in ten different languages. So if you're in France looking for a nice hotel (Bell Oh Tell), or if you'd like to know how much (Kwan Toe?) a souvenir...
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The Kingdom of Speech

Tom Wolfe - Little Brown and Company
Format: Print book

The maestro storyteller and reporter provocatively argues that what we think we know about speech and human evolution is wrong.Tom Wolfe, whose legend began in journalism, takes us on an eye-opening journey that is sure to arouse widespread debate. THE KINGDOM OF SPEECH is a captivating,...
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Grammar For People Who Hate Rules: Killer Tips From The Ruthless Editor

Kathleen A Watson - Ruthless Editor Press
Format: Paperback

Ever worry that your email to a client might have embarrassing grammar mistakes? That your report for your boss won't meet expectations? That your professor will find fault with your mid-term paper? Communication skills are valued in every field and every position. Whether you're...
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Word detective : searching for the meaning of it all at the oxford english dictionary

John Simpson - Basic Books
Format: Print book

Can you drink a glass of balderdash? What do you call the part of a dog's back it can't scratch? And if, serendipitously, you find yourself in Serendip, then where exactly are you? The answers to all of these questions - and a great many more - can be found in the pages of the Oxford...
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