How to Read a Word [Hardcover]

Elizabeth Knowles (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 19, 2010 | ISBN-10: 0199574898 | ISBN-13: 978-0199574896

Language is not fixed, but evolves over time, and exploring the routes taken by the words can lead us on fascinating journeys. How to Read a Word, written by the noted lexicographer Elizabeth Knowles, shows us how to explore the origins, associations, and evolution of words, focusing in particular on two points: what questions can be asked about a word? And how can they be answered?

How to Read a Word offers clear guidance on how to explore the various aspects of words, with chapters on pronunciation, spelling, date of first use, etymology, regional distribution, and meaning, all spiced with intriguing examples. For instance, Knowles offers a fascinating account of how the word "scientist" originated in a public debate in 1834, explains The Economist's jocular suggestion that "fish and chips" be spelled "ghoti and tchoghs," and weighs in on the "nuclear-nucular" controversy. Knowles also discusses the ever-expanding range of sources available to the curious word-hunter, from general and specialist dictionaries to websites devoted to areas of language, from Project Gutenberg and Google Book Search to various online newspaper archives. Knowles shows readers how to use this sometimes overwhelming mass of resources to get the best result, and how best to interpret the evidence retrieved. We learn, for example, how to use Google News to search the phrase "thin as a " as used today, uncovering hundreds of variants, from "thin as a supermodel" to "thin as a lizard."

Thought-provoking and practical, this guide provides readers with the essential tools to confidently interrogate the words by which we are surrounded. How to Read a Word is the perfect gift for anyone who is fascinated by the development and intricacies of the English language.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Back in 2008, Ammon Shea gave us Reading the OED, and now Knowles, a historical lexicographer who worked on the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, takes a more granular approach to dictionary analysis. Her step-by-step process in “unlocking the wordhoard” starts with understanding the elements in a dictionary definition, then looking beyond the dictionary definition to other sources in order to explore usage and context. The web is rich in possibilities, ranging from dictionary and word sites to search engines such as Google. A chapter is devoted to understanding how to use various resources, and another to understanding what is found. Finally, there are suggestions to the reader about building his or her own cache of word files. A helpful annotated list of online general and specialist dictionaries, thesauruses, corpora, and word sites rounds out the book. Numerous examples of the author’s own word hunts help convey her love of language and might inspire others to set out on similar journeys. --Mary Ellen Quinn

Review

"The entirety of How to Read a Word encourages us to be thoughtful about words, to really dig and learn, and not take them for granted. It is filled with specific examples and anecdotes which serve to inform, entertain and explain many ways in which words form, are created, change and are adopted. Words and definitions are serious business. They evolve over time, passing in and out of fashion... For anyone interested in words, How to Read a Word is a very exciting read." --Jenny Williams, Wired

'How to Read a Word focuses on building linguistic self-reliance and competence a necessity in an era where there are millions of Web pages devoted to giving answers, but very few trying to teach you to ask the right questions. How to Read a Word falls firmly into the "teach a man to fish" category of language books, and those who use it wisely are sure to catch good information on their hooks.' --Erin McKean, The Boston Globe

"Wonderfully, generously, Knowles shares with us an insider's view of lexicography, placing stress on precision, accuracy and authenticity... There's nothing wrong with How to Read a Word, not at all: everything about it is right. Every literate adult should be acquainted with it; college curriculums should mandate it." --Ange Mlinko, The Nation

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (November 19, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0199574898
• ISBN-13: 978-0199574896
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.9 x 7.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,182,839 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Good short work for word origin enthusiasts but a bit redundant in parts... December 13, 2010

By frankie

Format:Hardcover

Though the title seems presumptuous, I was excited to hear of this book by a lexicographer from the staff at Oxford. I expected myriad allusions to the OED (Oxford English Dictionary) as the holy grail of etymology - and there were quite a few - but they were reasonably placed. Due credit was accorded to Dictionary.com, Wikipedia and several new and interesting private sources.

Most of the text explains how to research an interesting word or expression using, of course, the OED and the Oxford corpus. I found most of these chapters redundant and slightly boring. Anyone who has used google for research is familiar with the basics listed here, so being told repeatedly how to do a keyword search can get a bit tedious. It's word origins 101, but the author is most likely hoping to reach a broader audience.

I enjoyed the vivid word examples and origin histories provided. I almost wish there were more. For example, the increasing validity of the word "nucular" proves that typos and mispronunciations, however moronic, turn into accepted words eventually (of which apparently I too am guilty, as my use of "typo" indicates). Researching "blue moon" revealed some insights into astrology and folklore. The appendices were most helpful, from "Pathways to English" highlighting the eras and dates of derivative languages, to "Dictionary History." The chapter on the word "satsuma" is particularly enlightening. My suggestion to readers is to begin with the glossary, then read the appendix, then the text.

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful Introduction September 26, 2011

By Daniel L Pratt

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Although there are many delightful examples of word research in this book, one can only wish that there were more. No doubt that was the author's plan -- to encourage readers to do some research on their own. There are numerous helpful references to help such readers get started.