Words at Work: An Insider's Guide to the Language of Professions [Hardcover]

Mim Harrison (Author), Lee Passarella (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 9, 2007 | ISBN-10: 0802715680 | ISBN-13: 978-0802715685 | Edition: First Edition

A fascinating view into the arcane nature of the workplace, Words at Work delves into fifteen professions--both ordinary and extraordinary--to discover the unique and colorful vocabulary that gives them their energy. The occupations are eclectic, from every day jobs like waste manager to singular positions like symphony orchestra musician; but the connections between words--which make you feel as though you're having a conversation with someone in the know--and Mim Harrison's skills as a writer, give readers an uncommon and highly perceptive glimpse into each of these worlds. Now you'll know what it means when the musician sheds the part (practices the music), the airline pilot mentions the wing walkers (the gate crew that guides your plane to a stop) and the waste manager yells out white goods (an appliance like a stove or refrigerator that is destined for the trash heap).
 
Harrison is captivated by the singular vocabularies of these occupations and she shares her fascination with readers. Whether you're a linguaphile who has always been curious about the lingoes attached to professions, or starting out in one of the occupations and hoping to get a leg up on the vocabulary, Words at Work will both charm and educate. Mim Harrison has a unique ear for language, and a gifted light touch as a writer. That combination makes Words at Work a highly original entry in the crowded field of language books.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"I love knowing how professionals in any business talk with each other, so Words at Work is a treat for word addicts like me, and a gift for anyone needing openers for small talk."--Robert MacNeil, author of Do You Speak American and co-author of The Story of English

 

"Harrison loves the moments when workers talk a kind of shorthand to each other. She did interviews in 15 professions to pin down expressions...This isn't about jargon. That way of talking distances people from each other, she says. Professional language is collegial." -USA Today

 

"Harrison, who obviously has a finely tuned writer's ear, has been picking up the nuances of work language for years….Harrison started with the most obvious, the ones we all think we know: restaurateurs, hoteliers, airline pilots, retailers. She goes beyond the easily recognizable terms and offers insight and background to familiar phrases. But if that was all there was to the book, it would get old quick….Harrison also throws in unusual jobs such as television promo producers, venture capitalists, microbiologists, magicians. And in a truly inspired act, placed perfume maker alongside waste manager (as in garbage collector)."--Ralph De La Cruz, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

 

"What do you need to know to fly a plane, play a symphony or serve food? For starters, you need to know the lingo.  Author Mim Harrison talked to experts in 15 professions for her new book Words at Work: An Insider's Guide to the Language of Professions...The book won't tell you how to do other people's jobs, but it will help you sound like an insider when you can toss around terms."-Chicago Tribune

About the Author

Mim Harrison has been a speechwriter, scriptwriter and ghostwriter for numerous professions since 1984. She is the founding editor of Levenger Press and has written pieces on Winston Churchill, Robert Louis Stevenson and Alexis de Tocqueville for the imprint's titles. She currently writes a column on the reading habits of writers for www.wellreadlife.com.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Walker & Company; First Edition edition (January 9, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802715680
• ISBN-13: 978-0802715685
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,721,386 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mim Harrison has been eavesdropping on English ever since she spent a year in England and her American ears wondered what language the locals were speaking. An award-winning commercial writer, she is also the author of three books on language: "Wicked Good Words," "Smart Words" and "Words at Work." In addition, Mim is the founding editor of Levenger Press, a specialty publisher that has celebrated some of the famous words of Winston Churchill, Samuel Johnson, and Henry David Thoreau. "English is a challenging language to master," she says. "Anyone who attempts it deserves to have some fun with it." Her newest book, "Wicked Good Words," is a collection of American regionalisms--what she calls "America's oral neighborhoods." Mim lives with her husband and their miniature dachshund in South Florida.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great fun!, March 1, 2007

By 

D. Latina (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Words at Work: An Insider's Guide to the Language of Professions (Hardcover)

Recently I've been traveling quite frequently for work and was getting bored with the same issue of "Skymall". While at a friend's house I came across this lively little book on her shelf and eagerly flipped through the pages. The content was so fun and interesting that when I returned home to Nashville I purchased a copy for my next flight. These little pearls and glimpses into a variety of professions have kept me entertained for hours. So now while traveling I keep this little gem in my carry on. I would recommend this book for anyone who loves variety and who loves to impress their friends with industry lingo. A real must have!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Language Lovers Take Note, January 11, 2007

By 

WordRain (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Words at Work: An Insider's Guide to the Language of Professions (Hardcover)

This book is an utter delight for so many reasons. As a word-lover, you'll enjoy discovering the clever twists and turns of language that arise in terminology specific to these professions. You'll also get a revealing behind-the-scenes glimpse at the worlds in which these professionals work. I was, frankly, surprised at how much I didn't know! And simply, you'll have fun paging through this book that will certainly equip you with plenty of bon mots to impress your friends and should you be so inclined, come up with the right "question" on Jeopardy. Mim Harrison's love for language and deft hand has resulted in a little gem...will be looking for Part II.

5.0 out of 5 stars A light reference which doubles as a leisure browser's delight, June 17, 2007

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Words at Work: An Insider's Guide to the Language of Professions (Hardcover)

Fifteen professions are analyzed to uncover the unique vocabulary which lends to specialized communication skills and colorful approaches. WORDS AT WORK: AN INSIDER'S GUIDE TO THE LANGUAGE OF PROFESSIONS covers all kinds of positions, from everyday jobs such as a printer or hotelier to a pharmacist or symphony musician. As a light reference which doubles as a leisure browser's delight, it will provide special attraction for trivia and word fans and is a pick not just for business collections, but for general-interest libraries.

Diane C. Donovan

California Bookwatch