That Doesn't Mean What You Think It Means

The 150 Most Commonly Misused Words and Their Tangled Histories

Nonfiction, Reference & Language, Language Arts, Grammar, Linguistics, Social & Cultural Studies, Social Science, Cultural Studies, Popular Culture
Cover of the book That Doesn't Mean What You Think It Means by Ross Petras, Kathryn Petras, Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Ross Petras, Kathryn Petras ISBN: 9780399581281
Publisher: Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale Publication: September 4, 2018
Imprint: Ten Speed Press Language: English
Author: Ross Petras, Kathryn Petras
ISBN: 9780399581281
Publisher: Potter/Ten Speed/Harmony/Rodale
Publication: September 4, 2018
Imprint: Ten Speed Press
Language: English

An entertaining and informative guide to the most common 150 words even smart people use incorrectly, along with pithy forays into their fascinating etymologies and tangled histories of use and misuse.

Even the most erudite among us use words like apocryphal, facetious, ironic, meteorite, moot, redundant, and unique incorrectly every day. Don’t be one of them. Using examples of misuse from leading newspapers, prominent public figures and famous writers, among others, language gurus Ross Petras and Kathryn Petras explain how to avoid these perilous pitfalls in the English language. Each entry also includes short histories of how and why these mistake have happened, some of the (often surprisingly nasty) debates about which uses are (and are not) mistakes, and finally, how to use these words correctly … or why to not use them at all. By the end of this book, every literati will be able to confidently, casually, and correctly toss in an “a priori” or a “limns” without hesitation.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

An entertaining and informative guide to the most common 150 words even smart people use incorrectly, along with pithy forays into their fascinating etymologies and tangled histories of use and misuse.

Even the most erudite among us use words like apocryphal, facetious, ironic, meteorite, moot, redundant, and unique incorrectly every day. Don’t be one of them. Using examples of misuse from leading newspapers, prominent public figures and famous writers, among others, language gurus Ross Petras and Kathryn Petras explain how to avoid these perilous pitfalls in the English language. Each entry also includes short histories of how and why these mistake have happened, some of the (often surprisingly nasty) debates about which uses are (and are not) mistakes, and finally, how to use these words correctly … or why to not use them at all. By the end of this book, every literati will be able to confidently, casually, and correctly toss in an “a priori” or a “limns” without hesitation.

More books from Popular Culture

Cover of the book Great Movie Lines by Ross Petras, Kathryn Petras
Cover of the book I simboli dei Celti by Ross Petras, Kathryn Petras
Cover of the book L'Italia disunita by Ross Petras, Kathryn Petras
Cover of the book Eating the Dinosaur by Ross Petras, Kathryn Petras
Cover of the book Green: A Field Guide to Marijuana by Ross Petras, Kathryn Petras
Cover of the book Shopping for God by Ross Petras, Kathryn Petras
Cover of the book Unfaithful Angels by Ross Petras, Kathryn Petras
Cover of the book East Meets Black by Ross Petras, Kathryn Petras
Cover of the book Virtual Orientalism by Ross Petras, Kathryn Petras
Cover of the book Kansai Cool by Ross Petras, Kathryn Petras
Cover of the book Transnational Memory and Popular Culture in East and Southeast Asia by Ross Petras, Kathryn Petras
Cover of the book Reality Matters by Ross Petras, Kathryn Petras
Cover of the book Book of Firsts by Ross Petras, Kathryn Petras
Cover of the book Why I Am Not a Feminist by Ross Petras, Kathryn Petras
Cover of the book Self Help, Inc. by Ross Petras, Kathryn Petras
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy