Dewdroppers, Waldos, and Slackers: A Decade-By-Decade Guide to the Vanishing Vocabulary of the Twentieth Century
| AUTHOR | Ostler, Rosemarie |
| PUBLISHER | Oxford University Press (09/15/2005) |
| PRODUCT TYPE | Paperback (Paperback) |
Description
Every era of the twentieth century from the "Roaring Twenties" to the "Me Decade" brought its own fads and trends and the language to go with them: fresh youth slang, up-to-the-minute buzzwords, and colorful catch phrases. Most of this new vocabulary exploded into the vernacular, only to fizzle a few years later as newer trends and more current events demanded their own terminology. Giving yesterday's words another chance to sparkle before they retire for good, Dewdroppers, Waldos, and Slackers focuses on language that still resonates with the mood of its times. A nostalgic word trip through the highs and lows of American English from the last century, this book pays special attention to words that enjoyed a brief vogue only to end up abandoned and nearly forgotten: jet jockeys, keypunch operators, the bugged-out and the slackers. All these words have a place here in engaging essays, arranged by decade, that put them in their historical and sociological context. While the twentieth century is over, this book will help us appreciate the words that were left behind.
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Product Format
Product Details
ISBN-13:
9780195182545
ISBN-10:
0195182545
Binding:
Paperback or Softback (Trade Paperback (Us))
Content Language:
English
More Product Details
Page Count:
256
Carton Quantity:
34
Product Dimensions:
6.22 x 0.73 x 8.96 inches
Weight:
0.87 pound(s)
Feature Codes:
Bibliography,
Index,
Table of Contents,
Illustrated
Country of Origin:
GB
Subject Information
BISAC Categories
Reference | Dictionaries
Dewey Decimal:
428.009
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc.
publisher marketing
Every era of the twentieth century from the "Roaring Twenties" to the "Me Decade" brought its own fads and trends and the language to go with them: fresh youth slang, up-to-the-minute buzzwords, and colorful catch phrases. Most of this new vocabulary exploded into the vernacular, only to fizzle a few years later as newer trends and more current events demanded their own terminology. Giving yesterday's words another chance to sparkle before they retire for good, Dewdroppers, Waldos, and Slackers focuses on language that still resonates with the mood of its times. A nostalgic word trip through the highs and lows of American English from the last century, this book pays special attention to words that enjoyed a brief vogue only to end up abandoned and nearly forgotten: jet jockeys, keypunch operators, the bugged-out and the slackers. All these words have a place here in engaging essays, arranged by decade, that put them in their historical and sociological context. While the twentieth century is over, this book will help us appreciate the words that were left behind.
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Author:
Ostler, Rosemarie
Rosemarie Ostler, a linguist and former librarian, enjoys delving into the rich record of American usage and word invention. Her books about slang and word origins explore the colorful turns of phrase in America's past lexicon. Ostler's language, research, and style articles have appeared in "The Saturday Evening Post, Whole Earth, Christian Science Monitor, Verbatim, Writer's Digest", and "Entrepreneur.com" among others. Rosemarie lives in Eugene, Oregon.
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