A Wonderland of Words ~ Shashi Tharoor (94 of 2024)

 

A Wonderland of Words: Around the Word in 101 Essays by Shashi Tharoor is a collection of 101 essays that delve into various aspects of the English language. 

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Open at any page and partake of the sheer pleasure that words can give you. A book which is meticulously researched and meant for all who love ,study and treasure the English language in all its diverse forms. 

Here is a gem from the first chapter

"Dear Sir:

I like words. I like fat buttery words, such as ooze, turpitude, glutinous, toady. I like solemn, angular, creaky words, such as straitlaced, cantankerous, pecunious, valedictory. I like spurious, black-is-white words, such as mortician, liquidate, tonsorial, demi-monde. I like suave "v" words, such as Svengali, svelte, bravura, verve. I like crunchy, brittle, crackly words, such as splinter, grapple, jostle, crusty. I like sullen, crabbed, scowling words, such as skulk, glower, scabby, churl. I like Oh-Heavens, my-gracious, land's-sake words, such as tricksy, tucker, genteel, horrid. I like elegant, flowery words, such as estivate, peregrinate, elysium, halcyon. I like wormy, squirmy, mealy words, such as crawl, blubber, squeal, drip. I like sniggly, chuckling words, such as cowlick, gurgle, bubble and burp.

I like the word screenwriter better than copywriter, so I decided to quit my job in a New York advertising agency and try my luck in Hollywood, but before taking the plunge I went to Europe for a year of study, contemplation and horsing around.

I have just returned and I still like words. May I have a few with you?

Robert Pirosh

1934

A New York copywriter by the name of Robert Pirosh quit his well-paid job and headed for Hollywood in 1934, determined to begin the career of his dreams as a screenwriter. When he arrived, he gathered the names and addresses of as many directors, producers and studio executives as he could find and sent them what is surely one of the greatest, most effective cover letters ever to be written; a letter which secured him three interviews, one of which led to his job as a junior writer at MGM. Fifteen years later, Pirosh won an Oscar for best original screenplay for his work on the war film Battleground. A few months after that, he also won a Golden Globe.

The book covers a wide array of topics, including:

Punctuation: Demystifying the rules and nuances of punctuation marks.

Spelling and Grammar: Exploring the complexities and peculiarities of English spelling and grammar.

Linguistic Devices: Discussing elements such as acronyms, backronyms, contronyms, oxymorons, kennings, metaphors, similes, idioms, euphemisms, and palindromes.

Tharoor also delves into the history and evolution of English, its geographical variants, and provides humorous examples of its misuse around the world. The essays aim to entertain and educate readers about the richness and intricacies of the English language.

Tharoor is known for his witty commentary on linguistic quirks, such as malapropisms—humorous errors where similar-sounding words are mistakenly used, leading to amusing misstatements. For instance, he might highlight a statement like "He is the pineapple of politeness," where "pineapple" is mistakenly used instead of "pinnacle." These examples showcase the playful and often confusing nature of English, illustrating how minor errors can lead to significant changes in meaning. 

He quotes Abraham Lincoln saying why Fish can be spelled as  'Ghoti' and yet pronounced as Fish. 

'Gh' as in rough

'O' as in Women

'ti' as in Motion!

How I wish I had known all these as a child.

In 13 sections, the book covers words borrowed from other languages, punctuations, spelling bugs, errors, inappropriate words and cardinal guidelines, literary tools, acrobatics, quirks, lexical evolution, inclusions, books and meanings, new and famous words and many more. 

Some chapters are so funny, it has become by stress busters.