Garner's Modern American UsageSince first appearing in 1998, Garner's Modern American Usage has established itself as the preeminent guide to the effective use of the English language. Brimming with witty, erudite essays on troublesome words and phrases, this book authoritatively shows how to avoid the countless pitfalls that await unwary writers and speakers whether the issues relate to grammar, punctuation, word choice, or pronunciation. Now in the third edition, readers will find the "Garner's Language-Change Index," which registers where each disputed usage in modern English falls on a five-stage continuum from nonacceptability (to the language community as a whole) to acceptability, giving the book a consistent standard throughout. Garner's Modern American Usage, 3e is the first usage guide ever to incorporate such a language-change index, and the judgments are based both on Garner's own original research in linguistic corpora and on his analysis of hundreds of earlier studies. Another first in this edition is the panel of critical readers: 120-plus commentators who have helped Garner reassess and update the text, so that every page has been improved. |
Contents
| xi | |
| xiii | |
| xvii | |
| xxiii | |
List of Essay Entries | xxv |
List of Abbreviations | xxxi |
Pronunciation Guide | xxxiii |
Key to the LanguageChange Index | xxxv |
Making Peace in the Language Wars | xxxvii |
The Ongoing Struggles of GarlicHangers | li |
MODERN AMERICAN USAGE | 877 |
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Common terms and phrases
able adjective American appears authority avoid become begin better Boston called cause century Chicago City common considered contexts correct course court Daily David denotes dictionaries distinction effect English error especially example expression fact frequently full key Fully accepted give John July June language Language-Change Index less linguistic lives look Mark means misspelled misused needless variant noun original Orlando Sentinel past perhaps person phrase play plural Post problem pronounced pronunciation readers reason Record reference Rejected relating result rule sense sentence Sept singular sometimes sound speech spelling Stage standard style suggests term thing tion Today Trib Ubiquitous usage usually verb Wash Widely shunned Widespread word World writers