500 Words You Should Know

by Caroline Taggart

Overview

Ever wanted to ameliorate your atavistic lexicon, engage in a little intellectual badinage or been discombobulated by tricky diction? 500 Words You Should Know has you covered.

Words are beautiful and versatile things, but when used incorrectly they can lose a lot in transition, and the more complex the word, the more misused it can become. And as words eternally evolve in their everyday use, they can begin to be interpreted as something other than their original meaning. 500 Words You Should Know will inspire the reader to use uncommon words in their correct context, to utilize the English language to its full potential, and to test themselves on the words they think they already know.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781782432982
Publisher:	Michael O'Mara Books
Publication date:	09/25/2014
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	265
File size:	466 KB

About the Author

Caroline Taggart worked in publishing as an editor of popular non-fiction for thirty years before being asked by Michael O'Mara Books to write I Used to Know That, which became a Sunday Times bestseller. Following that she was co-author of My Grammar and I (or should that be 'Me'?), and wrote a number of other books about words and English usage. She has appeared frequently on television and on national and regional radio, talking about language, grammar and whether or not Druids Cross should have an apostrophe.

Her website is carolinetaggart.co.uk and you can follow her on Twitter @citaggart.

Editorial Reviews

Winter 2018

Taggart (Back to Basics) groups words by theme (secrecy, the arts). A few definitions are more clever than clarifying, but the author doesn't intend to "teach or preach" but rather to delineate rich context and nuances of usage. Readers may quibble occasionally, but they'll also absorb pithy bits of etymology and information on historical and current use and, occasionally, pronunciation. Walker's black-and-white drawings set the mood for each section. VERDICT A bracing addition to libraries serving ambitious middle school through adult readers.

Library Journal

"This 'essential cornucopia' aims to inspire you to use uncommon words in their original context, in order to utilize the English language to it's full potential, and to test yourself on words you think you already know."  —Bookseller

From the Publisher

[review of UK edition] Taggart manages an incredibly fine line of not giving too many outlandish words which will never be of any use nor throwing up too many we already know and use all the time. Of course, this will change from person to person but my feeling is that the words she's chosen are probably about right for each reader... The icing on the cake is the humour which comes with all this... It's all good-natured, informative, jolly kind of stuff; and as a result Taggart gets the balance right. So, whether you want to improve your word power, or you're just intrigued by words which are slightly more complex than our everyday Anglo-Saxon-based lexicon, or you just want something light yet intelligent to dip into — '500 Words You Should Know' is a damned good contender for the spot.

Write Out Loud Blog - D K Powell

For wordsmiths and English language buffs interested in both usage and building vocabulary, featuring words that may seem familiar but which are popularly misused or misunderstood. Some 500 of tricky, most-often-misused words are arranged thematically, with discussion including their history, etymology, and modern applications... A fun gift for authors and any who regularly use the English language beyond ordinary daily affairs.

Donovan's Literary Services - Diane Donovan

Recommended Reading List.

West Jet Magazine

[review of UK edition] This is a fantastic tabletop book that can be picked up at any time... Here is the chance to improve your vocabulary and use uncommon, familiar, or even just vaguely familiar, words in the right way and in the correct context. From words you sort of know, but aren't confident enough to use, to weird and wonderful words you haven't a clue about! Word doctor Taggart prescribes 500 of the trickiest, most misused words in the English language... This is a magical box of linguistic tricks. And great fun to boot. Definitely one you will enjoy.

South Dublin Reads Blog

[review of UK edition] A must for logophiles (lovers of words).

Australian Writers' Centre Book Club Blog - Valerie

Will inspire readers and writers to use uncommon words in their correct context, to utilize the English language to its full potential, and to test themselves on the words they think they already know... Arranged thematically, each word is dissected, with a brief explanation of etymology, historical, and modern usage, allows the full understanding and effectively employment of the word in its proper context... An ideal, entertaining, and useful read for bibliophiles, writers, and the general reading public... Highly recommended for community, college, and university library collections.

Midwest Book Review