The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate [Hardcover]

Eugene Ehrlich (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0062701908 | ISBN-13: 978-0062701909 | Publication Date: May 22, 1997 | Edition: 1st

Between TV talk shows, radio call-in programs, email and the Internet, spontaneous-talk media has skyrocketed in the '90s. People are interacting more frequently and more fervently than ever before, turning the English language into an indecipherable mess. Now, this unique and concise compendium presents the most confused and misused words in the language today -- words misused by careless speakers and writers everywhere. It defines, discerns and distinguishes the finer points of sense and meaning. Was it fortuitous or only fortunate? Are you trying to remember, or more fully recollect? Is he uninterested or disinterested? Is it healthful or healthy, regretful or regrettable, notorious or infamous? The answers to these and many more fascinating etymological questions can be found within the pages of this invaluable (or is it valuable?) reference.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

In The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate, Eugene Ehrlich pulls no punches about his intent. This book and its companion, The Highly Selective Thesaurus for the Extraordinarily Literate, are prescriptive rather than descriptive, dedicated to recording language as it should be rather than how it often is. In the preface, Ehrlich announces that he means his book to be an "antidote" to the "effects wrought by the forces of linguistic darkness"--meaning, of course, all lexicographers more permissive than he is. That said, Ehrlich's conservative approach handily disposes of many thorny usage problems. The entry for "effectual," for example, distinguishes between "effective" and "effectual" in a concise and utterly persuasive way: "...a law that is effective--operative, in effect--becomes effectual--answers its purpose--only when the law is enforced."

This is not your ordinary dictionary; Ehrlich thinks that defining everyday words with commonly accepted meanings is a massive waste of time. Instead, he concentrates on unusual words or those that present interesting problems. The result is a fascinating dictionary that can be read cover to cover, like a book; do so and your vocabulary may never be the same again.

About the Author

Eugene Ehrlich wrote and edited numerous reference books on language, including the original Oxford American Dictionary and Amo, Amas, Amat and More.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Collins Reference; 1st edition (May 22, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062701908
• ISBN-13: 978-0062701909
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #586,600 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

92 of 94 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Refine Your Vocabulary, January 21, 2000

By 

"jvidal9289" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate (Hardcover)

This dictionary is not as elitist or highbrow as the title implies. Although it does contain the occasional arcane or rare word (when was the last time you deracinated a gudgeon?), the vast majority of the words are actually in use. Its two great strengths are that, unlike similar collections, it gives a pronunciation guide and it very usefully instructs the reader in distinguishing between words that are commonly confused, e.g., founder and flounder. Therefore, whether you like to peruse the lexicon to be instructed, amused or amazed or want to improve your reading and writing skills for school or work, this book is a welcome addition to your collection.

79 of 82 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fills Its Purpose Beautifully, April 17, 2002

By 

Amy R. Nix "Aspen74 - just another bibliophile" (Dublin, Ireland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate (Hardcover)

I believe that there are two kinds of people in this world. The first type are people that use language merely as a means to communicate. The second type are people that use language as an artform.

If you are the first type of person; do not buy this book. It will have no use or meaning for you, and you certainly won't find it entertaining. Unless you just have a quirky need to read dictionaries, you won't dig this volume, AT ALL.

If you are the second type of person - the type that enjoys learning new words just for the sake of knowing them; the type that likes being able to say the same thing 15 different ways...then this book is for you.

I love to write. I love to read. I enjoy using words for fun and for creative expression. This book gave me words that I had never heard before and that is, indeed, becoming a rare treasure to find. I'm a huge word geek, and so this dictionary was a perfect fit for me.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, and I actually read it from cover to cover like a novel (except that I went through with a highlighter as I read). Words can be used to fill a lot of different purposes, and they can be enjoyed in a much broader way than just coming to understand the definitions. Conveying information is only ONE of language's many functions.

Though the words in this book are not likely to find a place in your daily conversational vocabulary set, they will most assuredly become a part of your poems, your stories, and that file-cabinet of knowledge we all keep way back in the recesses of our brains. I highly recommend this book to all of my fellow wordsmiths and nerd/geek/dorks the world over.

68 of 74 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fun, but not useful, May 1, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Highly Selective Dictionary for the Extraordinarily Literate (Hardcover)

This book is for word buffs. It does not make a great reference book, since it just lists lots of words that you could find in a real dictionary. And it doesn't work well as a thesaurus, either. (See the author's other works.) However, if you are looking for a word that has a certain sound, or if you are curious about the difference between two similar words (like apprise and appraise), this is handy book. Also, if you want to create an insult for someone, it's a neat resource to have available. For instance, these insults are listed in the introduction: "grandiloquent popinjay, venal pettifogger, nefarious miscreant, flagitious recidivist, sententious blatherskite, mawkish ditherer, arrant peculator, irascible misanthrope, hubiristic narcissist, feckless sycophant, vituperative virago, vapid yahoo," and so on. It gets to be fun. Too bad it could not be more usefully organized.