"Fowlers" has sold over a million copies over seven decades. For this new revision, eminent lexicographer Robert Burchfield has rewritten or otherwise enhanced hundreds of entries and has added twenty-four new entries in a special supplement.
The volume remains the classic guide to English usage worldwide. Users will find practical help with grammar, syntax, style, and choice of words; clear guidance on usage offered in light of the language of the 1990s, with many new insights into how English is used today; in-depth coverage of both British and American English, together with aspects of the English of Australia; and wide-ranging illustrative examples, including samples from an international selection of newspapers, journals, and periodicals, as well as from well-known authors such as Martin Amis, Anita Brookner, Ruth Rendell, and John Updike. Whether you have a question about split infinitives, unattached participles, political correctness, or so on, you will find a clear and reliable answer here.
A charming blend of information and good humor, The New Fowler's Modern English Usage offers advice and background information on all aspects of English language, from grammar to spelling to literary style. It is a godsend for writers, broadcasters, journalists, and anyone else who wants to write and speak well.
For generations, lovers of the English language have turned to trusty copies of Fowler's to settle nagging grammatical questions, or, for true hard-core language junkies, for the sheer fun of reading H. W. Fowler's classic outrage contained in entries on "Hackneyed Phrases" or "Pedantic-Humour Words."
The New Fowler's Modern English Usage, the first revision in more than 30 years, has not arrived without controversy. Some language (and Fowler) purists complain that the book is too liberal at times, noting that usage is common as opposed to correct. Those points are debatable, and, indeed, they're what makes the book's nearly 900 pages so interesting to peruse. The currency of the new Fowler's extends to, in the entry on "Vogue Words," such novelties as "couch potato," "flavour of the month," "on a roll," and the notorious "parameter."
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 3.0 / 5.0
A Terrific New Updated Fowler:
I am a non-native English speaker. So naturally I like prescriptive English usage guides, and have an inherent doubt over the newer 'descriptive' ones--I do not feel I am guided enough. For this reason, I did not think this book worth buying, after reading some reviews of this book. However, my opinions turned around 180° after browsing a few pages in a bookstore. Take for example the use of 'hopefully'. Previous guides I read say that using it in the meaning 'I hope' is not recommended in formal... more info
What is it in itself?:
That's what Thomas Aquinas suggested we consider when assessing anything - What is it in itself? This is not Fowler's (the second edition), even though the cover indicates that the publisher would be happy for you to believe it is. The introduction makes it plain that this a wholly different kettle of fish to the beloved Fowler's. It is less prescriptive, as other reviewers have noted. It is drier, there is less wit, less opinion, and perhaps less wisdom. I find it less well organised than Fowler's.more info
the Best 4 the Best:
I've used the first three editions of this book, and find the second edition to be the most useful and interesting. I do not recommend any of this series to the casual English speaker who would only like to avoid glaring grammatical mistakes; there are simpler guides better targeting this. Key to efficiently benefiting from this book is knowing when to consult it. Thus, this book is best appreciated by someone with an already strong verbal command who recognizes opportunities to make subtle improvements.
Fowler is indispensible - but...:
Find a used second edition. In good shape, because you will wear it out.
Probably the most useful reference for a writer in addition to a good
style manual. Not just the what but the why - with wonderful examples.
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