Deciding Usage: Evidence and InterpretationWhile dozens of books pedantically list correct rules of usage and grammar, Deciding Usage details the evolution of forms, such as It is I and It is me, and supplements this history with a survey of textbook definitions of correct usage with the ultimate goal of empowering people to make their own informed decisions. Sherwin treats the study of language as a humane discipline; consequently, he sees it is an inquiry into the language behavior of people described by the Pope as the "glory, jest and wonder of the world," rather than the application of a set rules to the structure of English. Deciding Usage was originally designed for English teachers and their students, but will be of interest to any one who has ever wanted to know not just why a particular usage was correct, but why it was so. |
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Common terms and phrases
abbreviations acceptable adjective alternative American Dictionary 1980 American English American Heritage Dictionary avoid British Brown Corpus called choice clause Collegiate 1993 Collegiate Dictionary colloquial comma commentators considered construction context coordinating conjunction dialectical dictionaries consulted Dictionary of English English Dictionary 1989 English Usage 1989 Everyday Dictionary example expression formal English Fowler Funk and Wagnalls grammar grammarians Handbook Heritage Dictionary 1992 House Dictionary 1987 hyphenated idiom idiomatic informal label language Latin less linguistic major dictionaries means Merriam-Webster Dictionary Merriam-Webster unabridged modifiers negative nonstandard noun object omitted Oxford American Dictionary Oxford English Dictionary past participle past tense phrase plural plural verb preceding preposition pronoun question Random House Dictionary redundant refer sense sentence slang sometimes speech spelling Standard Desk Dictionary standard English synonym term textbooks treat unabridged dictionary unabridged Merriam-Webster unabridged Random House United usually vogue words Wagnalls Standard Desk Webster's New World wordiness World Dictionary 1988