Your Own Words: The Bestselling Author of Word Court Explains How to Decipher Decipher the Dictionary, Master the Usage Manual, and Be Your Own Language Expert [Hardcover]

Barbara Wallraff (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1582432821 | ISBN-13: 978-1582432823 | Publication Date: March 30, 2004

If you have a language question, where do you go for the answer? How do you keep proper syntax from sounding stiff, and, on the other hand, how do you keep conversational language from being embarrassingly incorrect? Barbara Wallraff, the author of The Atlantic Monthly's Word Court column, offers answers to these crucial questions. On one level, Your Own Words is a guide to using and understanding language references-dictionaries, thesauruses, stylebooks, usage guides, grammars, writing guides, and the Internet-with emphasis on how the different kinds of resources can help you answer different kinds of questions. On a deeper level, however, Your Own Words is about how to make good form your own. It helps you turn these various, often contradictory references into the tools that every experienced and confident user of language needs.In the world of language commentary, Barbara Wallraff offers an unequaled combination of authority, accessibility, and popularity. Her book shows you how to develop a genuine style that's both correct and personal-a style that expresses you at your best. Illuminated throughout with anecdotes and selections from the Word Court columns, Your Own Words does what very few books on usage even attempt: It shows every reader-amateur, professional, student, or graduate -how to think about what goes into good style.I think her judgment is flawless. I never disagree with her. -Jack Miles, author of God: A Biography

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Wallraff, the author of Word Court (2000) and a columnist for the Atlantic Monthly, tells readers how they can answer language questions for themselves. She posits that not even the leading authorities on language agree on many things and that respected reference works don't always agree on how to spell hundreds of words, on what some words mean, and on how to use them properly. "Your own words," Wallraff insists, is about having informed opinions of your own. She explains how to develop a genuine style that's correct and personal, how to choose a dictionary that suits you, and how to seek guidance from sources such as the Internet, newpaper and news organizations' stylebooks, and thesauruses. Wallraff offers this tip for bon vivants: "Curling up with a nice hot cup of cocoa or tea or even a martini can transform reading a new dictionary's front matter from a chore into a rarefied pleasure." George Cohen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"I think her judgment is flawless. I never disagree with her."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Counterpoint (March 30, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582432821
• ISBN-13: 978-1582432823
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,214,753 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable, November 29, 2005

By 

A reader (America) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Your Own Words (Hardcover)

For a serious writer or editor, this is an essential book. I keep it close by my dictionary, thesaurus, Chicago Manual, Garner, and Fowler's (the 2nd edition, of course, not the awful 3rd). Your Own Words is, as another reviewer aptly noted, a meta-reference, the one that allows me to find my way around the others and answer grammar and usage questions for myself. (I never, for instance, would have thought of using Google News as a usage guide.) The many selections from Wallraff's Atlantic Monthly column are a welcome bonus.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insightful, decisive - and amusing, April 11, 2004

By 

R Gregg (Rochester, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Your Own Words: The Bestselling Author of Word Court Explains How to Decipher Decipher the Dictionary, Master the Usage Manual, and Be Your Own Language Expert (Hardcover)

As a writer and speaker, I've often hesitated in choosing the right words and phrases, so as not to be misunderstood. And often turned to a favorite dictionary or reference book unquestioningly. What a surprise and shock to learn from Your Own Words how naive I've have been when I should have known more about the books I was using - and trusting. And how things like Google can do a better job of helping than some well-regarded language references and experts.

This is a fascinating, thoughtful, insightful and at times downright amusing look at the way we write, speak - and decide how to do both. As well as deciding which language reference books are worth having and using. Money well spent.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A great little meta-reference book, May 1, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Your Own Words: The Bestselling Author of Word Court Explains How to Decipher Decipher the Dictionary, Master the Usage Manual, and Be Your Own Language Expert (Hardcover)

This gem of a book not only provides sound advice on language-related reference books (dictionaries, thesauri, usage and style guides, etc.) but it also answers many usage questions itself. And it's fun to read, being based on the popular Ms. Grammar columns in The Atlantic Monthly and syndicated in newspapers across the country. I got so enthused about language after I read this book that I went out and upgraded my language reference library. Now I'm ready for anything!