A Fresh Look at American English

About the Book

A delightful, easy-to-read book that discloses many of the mysteries of American English. The author reveals how and why the language is changing, how we acquire new words, and how we give meaningful signals by using pauses and stress when we speak. We learn why we use such terms as dilly-dally, hanky-panky, and willy-nilly, and recognize how we utilize animals, food, and parts of our body in expressing ourselves. The author amuses the reader with humorous language situations resulting from ambiguous sentences and words that confuse us.

Although the book demonstrates that the English language is strange and illogical, it also emphasizes that it is flexible and remarkably efficient. The reader discovers that English is a dynamic and constantly changing language, and learns why it is the most popular means of communication in the world.

About the Author

Wallace Goldstein is Professor Emeritus at Westfield state College where he taught English for 35 years. He received his M.A. from Columbia and his Ph.D. from NYU. Publications include Teaching English as a Second Language, Fringe Benefits of Writing, Twain’s Diction in Huckleberry Finn, Remembering Pa, and The Redemption.