This delightful book is a tribute to the genius of the human mind for conceptual precision and the beauty of the English language in capturing it. It resolves a great deal of puzzlement over confusable terms, and its endearing illustrations and lighthearted explanations multiply the satisfaction. --Steven Pinker, author of The Language Instinct and Rationality

What's the difference between mazes and labyrinths? Proverbs and adages? Clementines and tangerines? Join author Eli Burnstein on a hairsplitter's odyssey into the world of the ultra-subtle with Dictionary of Fine Distinctions. Illustrated by New Yorker cartoonist Liana Finck, this humorous dictionary takes a neurotic, brain-tickling plunge into the infinite (and infinitesimal) nuances that make up our world.

The perfect gift for book lovers, word nerds, trivia geeks, and everyday readers, this illustrated gem is more than just a book--it is an indispensable resource akin to a thesaurus but filled with charm and wit. Each entry, from latte vs. flat white to Great Britain vs. The United Kingdom, is accompanied by mnemonic aids, quirky asides, and detailed illustrations, making it a standout dictionary for any bibliophile or language enthusiast's library.

For fans of The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows or Foyle's Philavery: A Treasury of Unusual Words, Dictionary of Fine Distinctions promises to be a cherished addition to the genre that offers clarity, joy, and a deeper appreciation for the subtleties of the English language. The quintessential librarian gift and English teacher gift, it's an educational odyssey that's as entertaining as it is enlightening.

A brief and humorous 500-year history of the Simplified Spelling Movement from advocates like Ben Franklin, C. S. Lewis, and Mark Twain to texts and Twitter.

Why does the G in George sound different from the G in gorge? Why does C begin both case and cease? And why is it funny when a philologist faints, but not polight to laf about it? Anyone who has ever had the misfortune to write in English has, at one time or another, struggled with its spelling.

So why do we continue to use it? If our system of writing words is so tragically inconsistent, why haven't we standardized it, phoneticized it, brought it into line? How many brave linguists have ever had the courage to state, in a declaration of phonetic revolt: Enough is enuf?

The answer: many. In the comic annals of linguistic history, legions of rebel wordsmiths have died on the hill of spelling reform, risking their reputations to bring English into the realm of the rational. This book is about them: Mark Twain, Ben Franklin, Eliza Burnz, C. S. Lewis, George Bernard Shaw, Charles Darwin, and the innumerable others on both sides of the Atlantic who, for a time in their life, became fanatically occupied with writing thru instead of through, tho for though, laf for laugh, beleev for believe, and dawter for daughter (and tried futilely to get everyone around them to do it too).

Henry takes his humorous and informative chronicle right up to today as the language seems to naturally be simplifying to fit the needs of our changing world thanks to technology--from texting to Twitter and emojis, the Simplified Spelling Movement may finally be having its day.

Learn (and love) the language of the landlocked in this bitingly funny illustrated guide to the common phrases and sentiments of the American Heartland, from the author of the McSweeney's series A Guide to Midwestern Conversation.

If you end an evening by slapping your thighs and saying, Welp, I'll go ahead and get outta your hair, then you don't need this guide, but you sure as heck might like it. Full of common Midwestern phrases (and what they really mean behind the friendly facade), A Guide to Midwestern Conversation is an affectionate, self-deprecating look at the language of a people long defined by their kindness and reduced to their voting patterns. Written by born-and-bred Midwesterner Taylor Kay Phillips, it's a wink, a hug, and a firm handshake (with eye contact) to the millions of Americans who say soda and pop interchangeably and grew up doing tornado drills in school.

Discover Midwestern conversational staples like:

• How to announce that you hate something beyond comprehension (I didn't really care for it)

• What counts as a short drive (less than eight hours)

• Sports talk (starts early, doesn't end till we're six feet under)

• Describing the ultimate dream home (It's got a finished basement)

• An ode to the Garage Fridge

Including an array of guides, tips, and profiles of all the states included, A Guide to Midwestern Conversation is guaranteed to make Midwesterners (and their friends) laugh out loud, nod their heads, and ask if anyone needs anything real quick while I'm up.

In the tradition of inspirational pick-me-ups like Lin-Manuel Miranda and Johnny Sun's G'Morning, G'Night but with a Calvin & Hobbesian sensibility comes this whimsically nerdy spin, illustrated by Natalie Metzger, on motivating folks into getting creative and DOING THE THINGS.

For several years, Chuck has crafted hilarious and inspirational thoughts of the day--they might begin with an optimistic salvo, but inevitably and mirthfully detour into the demon-summoning, robot-making, or confirming that humans are actually mythical hybrid creatures. Equal parts inspiring, sweet, and very funny, Wendig's profane and imaginative galvanizing quips in You Can Do Anything, Magic Skeleton! are sure to amp up readers and motivate them to get things done.

If an Irish person said to you, Gimmie that yoke, would you think they were talking about an egg? If so, 99% of the time, you'd be wrong. How about banjaxed, bockety or craic? Any clue what they mean?

The Little Book of Irishisms is for anyone who wants to understand the Irish, not just our words but how we are as people. It's also for those who'd like to sound Irish, even just for Paddy's Day.

You'll learn tricks to Irishify your chat and how to avoid those clangers that people think we say but never do, like the classic, Top of the morning to you.

If you're coming to Ireland and want to fit right in, this book's for you. If you can't make it, here's a way of visiting in spirit.

Go on, go on, go on. You will, you will, you will, to quote the infamous Irish comedy, Father Ted.

The Little Book of Irishisms is the perfect novelty gift for St. Patrick's Day, as a Christmas stocking filler, or at any time to someone who appreciates what it means to be Irish.

Originally conceived as a Portuguese-English phrase book, this literary curiosity was written by an author who, remarkably, spoke no English. With the help of a pair of dictionaries, Pedro Carolino translated a series of expressions from his native Portuguese into French and from French into English. The result is a volume of unintentional hilarity, praised by Mark Twain in his appreciative Introduction for its miraculous stupidities.
Imagine the Portuguese traveler, with this book in hand, offering grooming tips, Dress your hairs, making polite dinner conversation, Like you the soup? and inviting an acquaintance to take a walk, Let us go to respire the air. The collection is organized into sections of familiar phrases, familiar dialogues, and familiar letters -- which might not strike the native English speaker as particularly familiar, concluding with a selection of humorous anecdotes.
As Twain observed, In this world of uncertainties, there is, at any rate, one thing which may be pretty confidently set down as a certainty: and that is, that this celebrated little phrase-book will never die while the English language lasts. Its delicious unconscious ridiculousness, and its enchanting naïvete are as supreme and unapproachable, in their way, as are Shakespeare's sublimities.

Politeness, n. The most acceptable hypocrisy.

In this extraordinary work of scathing satire, Ambrose Bierce provided new humorous definitions of the words that formed the lexicon of contemporary American life.

Accumulated over three decades for a series of magazines and newspapers, the entries in The Devil's Dictionary painted a revealing portrait of late 19th-century American life, with all its contradictions and hypocrisies laid bare.

Bierce's fantastic wit and incredible gift for irony shine through this true masterpiece of American literature. This handsome hardback edition with dust jacket makes a wonderful gift or collectible of this classic work of satire.

You don't need words to speak Italian. All you really need is this unique phrase book of the most common Italian expressions, complete with authentic Italian gestures and body language. There's no faster or funnier way to learn how to communicate in Italy, Italian restaurants, with your grandparents or your friends.

You don't need words to speak Italian. You don't have to study Italian or travel to Italy to communicate like a true paesano. All you really need is this unique phrase book of the most common Italian expressions, complete with authentic Italian gestures and body language. It's the fastest and funniest way to learn Italian ever published. Now, even if you don't know a single word of Italian, you can learn the most common greetings and expressions, dinner-table comments, hot vows of love, bargaining tricks, insults, threats and curses. This book shows you how. There's no faster or funnier way to learn how to communicate in Italy, Italian restaurants, with your grandparents or your friends.

A light-hearted, fully-illustrated retro-style picture book with 60+ Scots Gaelic words and phrases for you to practice with your furry best friend. Suitable as a first introduction to Scots Gaelic for learners of all ages: for adults who would like a fun way to pick up a few basic words for when visiting Scotland or to connect with their heritage, or for children, who will love the cute pictures. Pronunciation guide for every phrase, and many of the words and phrases can also be used in non cat-related situations! The series as a whole has sold well over 34,000 copies.

As an avid social-media user and fan, I have enjoyed collecting misspellings, misinterpretations, and other mishaps, then including them in my blogs and newspaper columns. The response from readers has been encouraging. One might even call it a title wave.

Thankfully, many readers began sending in more examples of AutoCorrect and texting fails, poorly worded signs, and embarrassing invitations. Cindy Lowery in particular is always on the hunt for me. This resulted in a series of columns, and the trend shows no signs of slowing down. You can blame it on voice-to-text, spellcheck, blunders or many other factors.

No matter the reason, these social-media mistakes are a good source of laughter. (And my own smart-aleck comments are added in parentheses, like this.)

Name Meanings Explained

From the casually curious to etymology junkies (or anyone who's ever halted a conversation to search the internet for the origin of a word) this book will have something for everyone. --William C. Fox of the YouTube channel Exploring History

#1 Best Seller in Popular Culture, Puzzles & Games, Curiosities & Wonders, Fun Facts, Questions & Answers, Trivia, and Slang & Word Lists

From Patrick Foote and his popular YouTube channel Name Explain, comes a book for trivia fans that explains the name meanings of a multitude of things. From toys and animals to countries and cities to planets in our solar system, learn the etymology of words in a fun and entertaining way.

Explore the world of names. What is something that literally everything in existence has in common? It all has a name! With The Origin of Names, Words and Everything in Between, you can learn the origins of a multitude of names.

Learn new things. Why is New York called New York? The Origin of Names, Words and Everything in Between has the answer for you. While author Patrick Foote doesn't claim to know everything, he has garnered a lot of knowledge about language over the years and he's excited to get to share it with you in The Origin of Names, Words and Everything in Between.

Get a copy and:

• Know random facts, like why Russia is called Russia
• Be able to entertain yourself and your friends with interesting fun facts
• Discover the word origins and name meanings of planets, animals, countries, and much more

If you enjoyed books such as The Etymologicon, Timeless Trivia, or The Great Book of American Idioms, you'll want to own The Origin of Names, Words and Everything in Between.

Brit Speak for Yanks!

Back in 1887, Oscar Wilde wrote, We have really everything in common with America nowadays, except, of course, language. One would think, in a world homogenized by technology and social media, that differences between British English and American English would gradually disappear. Ask any recent traveler, though, and you'll learn that plenty of linguistic idiosyncrasies persist, and new ones emerge all the time. Folks on both sides of the pond may be in closer touch than ever before, but we are still, as George Bernard Shaw purportedly noted, two nations divided by a common language.

Blimey, I'm Knackered! is the perfect companion for anyone desiring to bridge the gap between US and UK English or who simply enjoys the evolution of language and culture. American scholar and longtime UK resident Marshall Hall has organized his insightful definitions and explanations of British idioms, colloquialisms, abbreviations, acronyms, and slang into nineteen entertaining and revealing chapters covering everything from transportation and food to politics, education, and wardrobe. Making the book truly comprehensive are sections on pejoratives and naughty bits. Hall's often amusing explanations make the book an engaging read for language lovers and travelers alike. Charming pen-and-ink illustrations by Mark Cowie add whimsy and humor to this entertaining, useful, and unique compendium. No American need ever be befuddled again!

Marie Kondo nos enseña a construir nuestro kurashi o estilo de vida ideal.

Controla cómo disfrutas tu día a día y transforma tu hogar en un refugio de calma con esta bella guía visual con más de 100 fotografías, de la autora del best seller La magia del orden.

Inspirado en el concepto japonés de kurashi, o «forma de vivir , este libro te invita a visualizar el día a día que quieres tener desde que te despiertas hasta que te vas a dormir. Si te haces la pregunta clave de « me provoca alegría? con cada uno de tus pensamientos y comportamientos conseguirás transformar tu entorno y crearás una vida llena de conexión y libre de cualquier limitación. Esta visión clara sobre tus preferencias te ayudará a tomar decisiones conscientes sobre cómo usar cada rincón de tu hogar y cómo aprovechar cada instante.

En esencia, la filosofía del método KonMari no se enfoca en qué debes abandonar sino en qué te genera alegría. En esta guía, las preciosas fotografías y las sugerencias únicas de Marie Kondo te ayudarán a abrazar lo que amas para luego reflejarlo en tu hogar, actividades y relaciones. Crea un rincón tranquilo para trabajar, programa encuentros semanales con familiares o amigos o haz tus propios rituales nocturnos relajantes para dormir bien.

En definitiva, inspírate para liberarte del desorden vital y así disfrutar de tus espacios acogedores, tus objetos preciados y tus momentos de paz.

ENGLISH DESCRIPTION

Transform your home into a haven of calm and achieve your ideal lifestyle with this inspirational visual guide featuring more than 100 photographs, from the Netflix star and #1 bestselling author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.

Inspired by the Japanese concept of kurashi, or way of life, Kurashi at Home invites you to visualize your best life from the moment you wake up until the end of each day. By applying Marie Kondo's time-tested query--Does it spark joy?--to your mindset and behaviors, you are invited to take an even more holistic and personal approach to curating your environment by imagining what your life could look like full of connection and free from any limitations. This ideal vision then becomes a touchpoint that helps you make conscious, mindful choices--from how you use every corner of your living space to how you take advantage of every moment.

At its core, the KonMari philosophy focuses not on what to get rid of, but on what sparks joy in your life. In this inspirational visual guide, beautiful photographs and Kondo's unique suggestions empower you to embrace what you love about your life and then reflect it in your home, activities, and relationships, like creating a calm nook for working, scheduling weekly get-togethers with family or friends, or having relaxing nighttime rituals that promote a restful sleep.

Your newfound clarity will inspire you to clear out the unneeded clutter so you can appreciate the inviting spaces, treasured belongings, and peaceful moments that remain.

Inspired by Ambrose Bierce's The Devil's Dictionary, L.A. Rollins first unsheathed his lexicographer's lance in the pages of marginal political periodicals during the mid-1980s. At a time when Objectivist orthodoxy and Cold War political theater dominated libertarian discourse, Rollins' distinctive brand of irreverent irony stood out. He skewered shibboleths and dethroned dogmas from all quarters, and his trenchant jeu de mots made a lasting impression in the minds of many readers.
In 1987, Loompanics Unlimited released the first edition of Lucifer's Lexicon, a freewheeling compilation of Rollins' satirical definitions--including content deemed too inflammatory for less adventurous publishers. Though the book would become a cult classic, Rollins' contrarian take on certain closely guarded historical and religious taboos chafed the sensibilities of some gatekeepers. Following its release, Rollins--who had previously courted controversy for his incisive critique of natural rights theory--was marked a pariah.
The present edition is the first in a series of portable paperbacks being published by Nine-Banded Books and Underworld Amusements to chronicle the work of L.A. Rollins. With slight revision, it incorporates the canonical Loompanics text, now extensively supplemented to include never-before-published material that Rollins produced until his death in 2015. It is presented with a new introduction by individualist-anarchist blogger and Attack the System co-editor MRDA and a publisher's preface.

Jackie Mason has built his Tony Award-winning career out of the culture and language of Jewish people, so who better to instruct the unindoctrinated in the joys of Yiddish? How to Talk Jewish, a guide to 100 Yiddish words, phrases, and expressions, includes pronunciations, definitions, and examples of usage, along with Jackie's incomparable wit. Is your blind date haimish? Uh oh. A zhlub, worse. A doctor? The naches are almost inexpressible Jackie Mason brings all the vivacity, spunk, and chutzpah of Yiddish to the tongues of the less fortunate. Don't be a meshugenner, buy it already

It is a short, convenient to read compilation of the text extracts of the two of the Russian greatest classical writers of the second half of the 19th century: Anton Pavlovich Chekhov and Ivan Alexandrovich Goncharov. The reader can listen to the both parts of the book, in the Russian language, on the author's UTube Channel 'zoiacalifornia, read by the author, who is a native speaker of Russian. In this (the 1st) volume there is Chekhov's short story Stout and Thin with the author's (Zoia Eliseyeva's) translation into English, and also, an extract - the very beginning - of Goncharov's masterpiece, the novel Oblomov, with the translation made in the 1950-ties in England by a professional literary translator. The book is a dual language book. When a reader opens the two pages, they will see on the left page side Russian original text, and on the right page side its English translation. The author, a trilingual educator, who lives and works in California, USA, when formatting the book, was trying to match the Russian to their English matching paragraphs, as best as she could. Also, the pages of Russian and English are kept strictly in match so the translation text would never overrun to the next page where a new paragraph/page starts. The book is an excellent tool for those who studies RUSSIAN, and for ENGLISH readers who are interested in having a closer look at the Russian original of the two uniquely talented and profound classical writers. The book is supplied by author's comments and some Russian language/culture explanations.

A hilarious book that will teach you everything you need to know to be too cool for school: Your official guide to the language, culture and style of hipsters young and old. --Los Angeles Times

hip-ster - \hip-stur (s)\ n. One who possesses tastes, social attitudes, and opinions deemed cool by the cool. (Note: it is no longer recommended that one use the term cool; a Hipster would instead say deck.) The Hipster walks among the masses in daily life but is not a part of them and shuns or reduces to kitsch anything held dear by the mainstream. A Hipster ideally possesses no more than 2% body fat.

Clues You Are a Hipster

1. You graduated from a liberal arts school whose football team hasn't won a game since the Reagan administration.

2. You frequently use the term postmodern (or its commonly used variationPoMo) as an adjective, noun, and verb.

3. You carry a shoulder-strap messenger bag and have at one time or another worn a pair of horn-rimmed or Elvis Costello-style glasses.

4. You have refined taste and consider yourself exceptionally cultured, but have one pop vice (ElimiDATE, Quiet Riot, and Entertainment Weekly are popular ones) that helps to define you as well-rounded.

5. You have kissed someone of the same gender and often bring this up in casual conversation.

6. You spend much of your leisure time in bars and restaurants with monosyllabic names like Plant, Bound, and Shine.

7. You bought your dishes and a checkered tablecloth at a thrift shop to be kitschy, and often throw vegetarian dinner parties.

8. You have one Republican friend whom you always describe as being your one Republican friend.

9. You enjoy complaining about gentrification even though you are responsible for it yourself.

10. Your hair looks best unwashed and you position your head on your pillow at night in a way that will really maximize your cowlicks.

11. You own records put out by Matador, DFA, Definitive Jux, Dischord, Warp, Thrill Jockey, Smells Like Records, and Drag City.

There's a TARDIS cookie jar in our kitchen. A Picard air freshener in our car. And we won't even mention Harry Potter in the bathroom. We're geeks and proud of it! But is there nothing for baby? Inconceivable!

Introducing 100 First Words for Little Geeks, a deliciously nerdy primer for kids learning their first words! Forget apple and dog. Little geeks are ready for holy grail, warp core, and intergalactic catastrophe (okay, forget that last one, but they'll learn tribble and that's about the same thing). Packed with hilarious illustrations and 100 words every geek baby should know (before any others, of course), 100 First Words for Little Geeks is the perfect board book for geek families everywhere. Great Scott!

Harry Mount and John Davie unlock the wisdom of the past in this light-hearted and fascinating book, revealing how ancient Latin can help us to live better in the present.

There are so many Latin phrases in everyday use that often we use them without understanding the background and context within which they were actually used. 'Carpe diem'; 'Stet'; 'Memento mori'; 'Et tu Brute' - examples would fill a book. And often these phrases are also used in English translation: 'The die is cast'; 'crossing the Rubicon'; 'Rome was not built in a day'.

Many of these phrases are humorous, but they are also a rich source of wisdom: the wisdom of the ancients. The chapters of this book include: Latin for Gardeners, the Great Latin Love Poets, Cicero on How to Grow Old Gracefully and Seneca's Stoic Guide to Life. Each chapter starts with a quotation and is lightly sprinkled with many more, with accompanying English translations and entertaining cartoons and illustrations dotted throughout.

The background to each quotation is explained so that the context is fully understood. Who crossed the Rubicon and why, for example? At a time of great political and social turbulence, more and more people are turning back to ancient wisdom as a guide to life. Here they are in touch with two classical scholars of distinction who have the common touch and can help make Latin accessible to all, not to mention fun!