Renowned lexicographer Laurence Urdang’s final reflections on the current state of the English language are recorded here; he died soon after completing the manuscript. All scholars, librarians, editors, students, and general readers with an interest in the English language will enjoy this fascinating account of, in Urdang’s words, “a life devoted to all aspects of language.”
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In The Last Word noted lexicographer Laurence Urdang offers what would be his final reflections on the state of the English language. Finished just before his death in 2008, The Last Word covers a wide range of topics, including political, social, and grammatical correctness; word origins; connotation and ambiguity; language and culture; taboo, slang, informal, and colloquial language; good and bad writing; carelessness and other bad habits; language and computers; pronunciation; and several others. This reference will appeal to all students of the English language, from high school on up.
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