An historical guide to the card games of Europe and America. It surveys how the games originated and developed, and the rituals and etiquette which surround them.
If you stumble over your new mat in the passage, what science are you shown to have neglected? Pneumatics. Charades, hangman, anagrams, tongue-twisters, and new for this edition, games based on text messaging: dozens of fun and fiendish word games jostle for space in this updated edition of Tony Augarde's classic guide. From the highbrow riddle to the lowly pun, The Oxford Guide to Word Games provides a comprehensive history of verbal wit and wordplay. Organized thematically, thebook examines twenty-six forms of word game in absorbing detail, including their history, and provides entertaining examples throughout. From Scrabble and Spoonerisms, Crosswords and Chronograms to Playing with Poetry, neither the crossword addict nor the student of linguistics and lexicography will be able to resist!
The Oxford Handbook of Expertise provides a comprehensive picture of the field of Expertise Studies. It offers both traditional and contemporary perspectives, and importantly, a multidiscipline-multimethod view of the science and engineering research on expertise.
With its wide range of games for all tastes and occasions, and its infectious style, The Oxford A to Z of Word Games is the book for word games players of all ages, and will soon make an enthusiast of even the most reluctant word-gamer.
If you were to imagine your ideal guide to a book of word games, who would you picture? Does an urbane, witty writer come to mind? How about a widely recognized authority and historian of games? Perhaps you'd want someone who successfully creates games himself and has written extensively on a wide variety of games? And oh what the heck let's make him British to add a bit of extra charm. Well, if that sounds like the ideal game guide, look no further. David Parlett is an internationally recognized master of games. The author of many books, including the Oxford History of Board Games and The Penguin Book of Card Games, he has also created many games including Hare & Tortoise, which has sold over 3 million copies. In "The Book of Word Games" Parlett presents a practical and entertaining guide to word games and how to play them. He offers clear and witty introductions to over 150 word games, indicating degree of difficulty, appropriate number of players, and age range (many of the games are great for the classroom or to give your kids some fun while improving their language skills). Parlett also gives a wealth of interesting etymological knowledge, including word origins, phonetic facts and interesting tidbits like the longest word in the English language. There is something for everyone, from new readers to sophisticated word connoisseurs. From well-known favorites such as Boggle and Consequences to lesser-known but equally enjoyable games such as Bacronyms and Aesop's Mission, "The Book of Word Games" presents a wide-ranging collection of word games for verbivores of all ages. "
This practical introduction to word history investigates every aspect of where words come from and how they change. Philip Durkin, chief etymologist of the Oxford English Dictionary, shows how different types of evidence can shed light on the myriad ways in which words change in form and meaning. He considers how such changes can be part of wider linguistic processes, or be influenced by a complex mixture of social and cultural factors. He illustrates every point with a wide range of fascinating examples. Dr Durkin investigates folk etymology and other changes which words undergo in everyday use. He shows how language families are established, how words in different languages can have a common ancester, and the ways in which the latter can be distinguished from words introduced through language contact. He examines the etymologies of the names of people and places. His focus is on English but he draws many examples from languages such as French, German, and Latin which cast light on the pre-histories of English words. The Oxford Guide to Etymology is reliable, readable, instructive, and enjoyable. Everyone interested in the history of words will value this account of an endlessly fascinating subject.
Every writer needs help with words: choosing them, using them, spelling them correctly. When is optimal or optimum the better choice? Why use germane when relevant is, well, more relevant? Created for just such tortuous (torturous?) situations, this handy guide provides an A-to-Z listing of troublesome, confusing words, accompanied by clear examples and explanations to help avoid common mistakes. With a discussion on getting the most out of words, a helpful resource section, humorous illustrations, and clever bits of wordplay, this compact reference is an indispensable resource. • The latest addition to Jan Venolia's Right! series, which has sold more than 600,000 copies. • With the growing influence of email and other instant communication on the English language, a modern reference is more important than ever. • Small and portable, this book is easier to carry and to use than some of the larger, bulkier reference works. • The cover design for WRITE RIGHT! and REWRITE RIGHT! was selected to display in the AIGA (American Institute of Graphic Arts) 50 Books / 50 Covers Exhibition in 2001. The designer for this series (including The Right Word!) is Paul Kepple, director, Headcase Design, Philadelphia, PA.
Written by respected authorities in the fields of education and literacy studies, Words: The Foundation of Literacy is a groundbreaking book for teachers, administrators, and education students. Dale and Bonnie Johnson present a fresh, inspiring reminder of why studying language (from word origins to word structure) is such a vital first step in the development of students' vocabulary, literacy, writing skills, and overall ability to learn. At a time when high-stakes testing has squeezed substance from many curricula, Johnson and Johnson provide ways to enhance students' understanding, interest, and appreciation of language and all its subtleties. Words explores how meaning in language is created by the use and interrelationships of words, phrases, and sentences, their denotations, connotations, implications, and ambiguities. From birth, most children exhibit a natural interest in language: its sounds, nuances, and unpredictable qualities. It is important to sustain, stimulate, and recapture that natural interest in the classroom, and Words provides a multitude of creative and practical techniques for doing so.