{"product_id":"bad-english-a-history-of-linguistic-aggravation-9780399165580","title":"Bad English: A History of Linguistic Aggravation","description":"\u003cb\u003eThe author of \u003ci\u003eReading the OED\u003c\/i\u003e presents an eye-opening look at language \"mistakes\" and how they came to be accepted as correct--or not. \u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eEnglish is a glorious mess of a language, cobbled together from a wide variety of sources and syntaxes, and changing over time with popular usage. Many of the words and usages we embrace as standard and correct today were at first considered slang, impolite, or just plain wrong. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eWhether you consider yourself a stickler, a nitpicker, or a rule-breaker in the know, Bad English is sure to enlighten, enrage, and perhaps even inspire. Filled with historic and contemporary examples, the book chronicles the long and entertaining history of language mistakes, and features some of our most common words and phrases, including: \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eDecimate\u003cbr\u003eHopefully\u003cbr\u003eEnormity\u003cbr\u003eThat\/which\u003cbr\u003eEnervate\/energize\u003cbr\u003eBemuse\/amuse\u003cbr\u003eLiterally\/figuratively\u003cbr\u003eAin't Irregardless\u003cbr\u003eSocialist\u003cbr\u003eOMG\u003cbr\u003eStupider \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eLively, surprising, funny, and delightfully readable, this is a book that will settle arguments among word lovers--and it's sure to start a few, too.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAmmon Shea\u003c\/b\u003e is the author of \u003ci\u003eReading the OED: One Man, One Year, 21,730 Pages \u003c\/i\u003ealong with \u003ci\u003eDepraved English, Insulting English, \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eThe Phone Book. \u003c\/i\u003eA dictionary collector, he has worked as a consulting editor of American dictionaries at Oxford University Press. He has also contributed to the \"On Language\" column in Sunday's \u003ci\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/i\u003eand has reviewed language books for the \u003ci\u003eNew York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Penguin Publishing Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50912481149202,"sku":"9780399165580","price":17.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_7fa3aeb1-ecd9-498c-87f1-75b8be6132f3.jpg?v=1738772088","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/bad-english-a-history-of-linguistic-aggravation-9780399165580","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}