A Dictionary of Epithets and Terms of Address

By Leslie Dunkling

Book Overview

This book will give learners of English the confidence to address people appropriately in a wide variety of situations. It will also help them to understand what is implied when an English speaker uses a particular way of addressing someone. These topics are entirely neglected in most courses and textbooks, and there is no other reference work on the subject. Anyone who is fascinated by words will also find much here of interest. A wealth of historical, sociological and etymological information is set out in a highly readable style. Some 2,000 entries arranged in alphabetical order shed new light on familiar terms of address and present many curiosities. The author gives examples from a wide range of literature, particularly twentieth century novels, and provides an illuminating commentary on them.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0415007615
• ISBN13: 9780415007610
• Release Date: June 1990
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 6.4" x 9.5"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

A must for anyone interested in our earthy mother tongue.

This book, while definitely slanted towards the eastern end of the Atlantic is still a valuable resource for explaining just what terms such as "pinhead" mean to non-native speakers. For Americans, it makes for enjoyable bathroom reading as well as a handy guide to the more obscure aspects of British vernacular. The book's only shortcoming is its lack of depth concerning modern-day US slang.