 | A WRITER'S WIT |  L. Pichon |
MY BOOK WORLD
Fiske, Robert Hartwell. The Dictionary of Disagreeable English: A Curmudgeon’s Compendium of Excruciatingly Correct Grammar. Cincinnati: Writer’s Digest, 2005.
Thank god for people like Fiske, who keep track of all the ins and outs of grammar (never grammer). And can remind us that the “l” in almond is silent (ah-mend). Or that alumnus is a male graduate, alumna a female graduate, and alumni signify male or female graduates, while alumnae = female graduates only. Fiske reminds us not to confuse mendicity (being beggarly) with mendacity (untruthfulness). To peruse material is not to give it a casual reading but a thorough one. Finally, zoology is pronounced zoh-ol-ah-jee, not with a zoo sound.
Handy little book to keep around, but Fiske might be reminded by linguists that the people solidify usage. Some day (soon?) there will be no whom in grammar books or dictionaries. Me and my brother will be perfectly acceptable (it already is among Z’s). Some of us don’t like it, but that’s how usage works. A thing gets employed so much it becomes acceptable, nay, becomes de rigueur. Remember thee and thou? Shalt not? Gone. Simply vanished. Again, I am thankful to have such a handy little handbook, but if Fiske hasn’t already had a heart attack, he’s certainly set up for one if he can’t loosen up a bit.
Up Next:
TUES: A Writer's Wit | James Rollins
WEDS: A Writer's Wit | Sharon M. Draper
THURS: A Writer's Wit | Annie Proulx
FRI: My Book World | Amy Tan, Saving Fish from Drowning
Thank god for people like Fiske, who keep track of all the ins and outs of grammar (never grammer). And can remind us that the “l” in almond is silent (ah-mend). Or that alumnus is a male graduate, alumna a female graduate, and alumni signify male or female graduates, while alumnae = female graduates only. Fiske reminds us not to confuse mendicity (being beggarly) with mendacity (untruthfulness). To peruse material is not to give it a casual reading but a thorough one. Finally, zoology is pronounced zoh-ol-ah-jee, not with a zoo sound.
Handy little book to keep around, but Fiske might be reminded by linguists that the people solidify usage. Some day (soon?) there will be no whom in grammar books or dictionaries. Me and my brother will be perfectly acceptable (it already is among Z’s). Some of us don’t like it, but that’s how usage works. A thing gets employed so much it becomes acceptable, nay, becomes de rigueur. Remember thee and thou? Shalt not? Gone. Simply vanished. Again, I am thankful to have such a handy little handbook, but if Fiske hasn’t already had a heart attack, he’s certainly set up for one if he can’t loosen up a bit.
Up Next:
TUES: A Writer's Wit | James Rollins
WEDS: A Writer's Wit | Sharon M. Draper
THURS: A Writer's Wit | Annie Proulx
FRI: My Book World | Amy Tan, Saving Fish from Drowning
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