Why read Says Who??

Book cover of Says Who?: A Kinder, Funner Usage Guide for Everyone Who Cares about Words

Book description

A kinder, funner usage guide to the ever-changing English language and a useful tool for both the grammar stickler and the more colloquial user of English, from linguist and veteran professor Anne Curzan

“I was bowled over, page after page, by the author’s fine ear for our language and her…

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The English language

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Why read it?

1 author picked Says Who? as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Anne Janzer

Author

This book gave me a new perspective into the role that book and newspaper editors play in shaping the language—although they cannot stand unmoved against the strong currents of usage changes. And, I enjoyed discovering how words and usage trends have shifted in my own lifetime without my noticing: for example, how the verb sneak gained a new, irregular past tense (snuck). That snuck up on me!

Curzon’s voice is warm and witty rather than professorial—like a true “word nerd” friend. Reading this makes me feel better about my own word foibles.

Hey, if enough people do them and people…

From Anne's 3 favorite reads in 2024.