Radical changes are taking place in language in nearly every corner of the globe, but Mark Abley believes we are asking the wrong questions about the phenomenon. Instead of lamenting linguistic decline, Abley thinks we should be asking why the changes tend to provoke enormous anxiety, as well as how we can adapt to the ongoing “verbal revolution.” Read more…
language
CAN I HAVE A WORD WITH YOU?
by Howard Richler
CARNAL KNOWLEDGE:
A Navel Gazer’s Dictionary of Anatomy, Etymology and Trivia
by Charles Hodgson
Though these two engaging new word books should set logophiles atwitter, their broad appeal and lack of pretension make them attractive to a far broader audience as well. Read more…