Garner's Modern American Usage
Encyclopedia
Garner's Modern American Usage, edited by Bryan Garner
, is a usage guide for contemporary American English
. Modern American Usage covers issues of usage, pronunciation, and style, from plurals
and literary technique
s to distinctions between similar words and the usage of foreign terms.
has also published an abridged, paperback edition of Modern American Usage as the Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style (2000).
said, "The fact of the matter is that Garner's dictionary is extremely good ... Its format ... includes entries on individual words and phrases and expostulative small-cap MINI-ESSAYS." (An unabridged, much lengthier version of the Wallace essay appeared in a 2006 anthology of Wallace's essays entitled Consider the Lobster
.) Garrison Keillor has called Garner's Modern American Usage one of the five most influential books in his library. Other critics, from John Simon
to William Safire
to Bill Walsh
to Barbara Wallraff, have extolled the book's approach to giving guidance in a nuanced, non-hamhanded way.
Michael Quinion
of WorldWideWords.org noted in his review that usage guides “row a course against the current of modern lexicography and linguistics,” which are descriptive fields that often fail to "meet the day-to-day needs of those users of English who want to speak and write in a way that is acceptable to educated opinion.” Quinion opined that Garner lays down rules without falling victim to “worn-out shibboleths or language superstitions.”
Bryan A. Garner
Bryan A. Garner is a U.S. lawyer, lexicographer, and teacher who has written several books about English usage and style, including Garner's Modern American Usage. He is the editor in chief of all current editions of Black's Law Dictionary...
, is a usage guide for contemporary American English
American English
American English is a set of dialects of the English language used mostly in the United States. Approximately two-thirds of the world's native speakers of English live in the United States....
. Modern American Usage covers issues of usage, pronunciation, and style, from plurals
English plural
In the English language, nouns are inflected for grammatical number —that is, singular or plural. This article discusses the variety of ways in which English plurals are formed for nouns...
and literary technique
Literary technique
A literary technique is any element or the entirety of elements a writer intentionally uses in the structure of their work...
s to distinctions between similar words and the usage of foreign terms.
Editions and Related Books
The first edition was published in 1998 as A Dictionary of Modern American Usage. In 2003, the second edition was published under the current title with a third more content than its predecessor. A third edition was published in August 2009. Oxford University PressOxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
has also published an abridged, paperback edition of Modern American Usage as the Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style (2000).
Reception
In the April 2001 issue of Harper's, the novelist David Foster WallaceDavid Foster Wallace
David Foster Wallace was an American author of novels, essays, and short stories, and a professor at Pomona College in Claremont, California...
said, "The fact of the matter is that Garner's dictionary is extremely good ... Its format ... includes entries on individual words and phrases and expostulative small-cap MINI-ESSAYS." (An unabridged, much lengthier version of the Wallace essay appeared in a 2006 anthology of Wallace's essays entitled Consider the Lobster
Consider the Lobster
Consider the Lobster and Other Essays is a collection of essays by novelist David Foster Wallace. It is also the title of one of the essays, which was published in Gourmet Magazine in 2004.-Content:The entire list of essays is as follows:...
.) Garrison Keillor has called Garner's Modern American Usage one of the five most influential books in his library. Other critics, from John Simon
John Simon (critic)
John Ivan Simon is an American author and literary, theater, and film critic.-Personal life:Simon was born in Subotica, Bačka, County of Bačka, the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, later, known as Yugoslavia . He is of Hungarian descent...
to William Safire
William Safire
William Lewis Safire was an American author, columnist, journalist and presidential speechwriter....
to Bill Walsh
Bill Walsh
Bill Walsh may refer to the following:*Bill Walsh , coached San Francisco 49ers*Bill Walsh , center from Notre Dame*Bill Walsh...
to Barbara Wallraff, have extolled the book's approach to giving guidance in a nuanced, non-hamhanded way.
Michael Quinion
Michael Quinion
Michael Quinion is a British etymologist and writer. He runs the web site World Wide Words, devoted to linguistics. He graduated from Cambridge University, where he studied physical sciences after which he joined BBC radio as a studio manager.-Writer:...
of WorldWideWords.org noted in his review that usage guides “row a course against the current of modern lexicography and linguistics,” which are descriptive fields that often fail to "meet the day-to-day needs of those users of English who want to speak and write in a way that is acceptable to educated opinion.” Quinion opined that Garner lays down rules without falling victim to “worn-out shibboleths or language superstitions.”
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