About This Book
A practical, popular guide to English vocabulary and style that examines the origins, significance, and moral weight of words; analyzes grand and small words, onomatopoeia, fallacies, names and nicknames, common improprieties, and curiosities of language; offers criticism of misuses, advice on apt word choice, and chapters on etymology and usage pitfalls, illustrated with quotations and examples; aims to refine ordinary speech and writing by tracing history, derivation, and proper contexts for words, while correcting common errors and suggesting clearer expression.