Fine Distinctions and Usage Guide Books

You’re listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it.

I’m Grant Barrett.

And I’m Martha Barnette.

What’s the difference between the verbs assume and presume?

Is there a distinction between ethics and morality?

If somebody asked you, could you tell them the difference between an epigram, an aphorism, a maxim, an adage, and a proverb?

Well, there’s a delightful new book about all of this by Eli Bernstein.

It’s called, not surprisingly, Dictionary of Fine Distinctions, Nuances, Niceties, and Subtle Shades of Meaning.

And it’s a light, fun browsing book.

It’s got whimsical illustrations.

And it really makes you think about words like these and to try to sort out for yourself words that are really close in meaning but not quite.

Like, for example, in the section about epigrams, he talks about how epigrams are witty, aphorisms are philosophical, maxims are rules of conduct, adages are old and well-known, and proverbs are folk and traditional.

And I hadn’t really thought about those fine distinctions, but that’s exactly what the book is about, and it’s a lot of fun.

It’s a great book to add to your shelf of books about language.

I have another book which I would recommend adding to your shelf of books about language.

And this is Says Who by Ann Curzan, who is a professor of linguistics at the University of Michigan and also the dean of the College of Literature and Science and the Arts there.

And what this book amounts to, in my opinion, is a summary of a new way to think about language.

Language. Well, it’s a new way for people outside of linguistics, because inside of linguistics, this is how linguists think about language.

She does talk about common questions about usage, where to put the word only in a sentence, for example, but she also talks about language change and why linguists tend to be pretty relaxed about it, whereas the general public tends to be kind of tense about it.

There’s a part of the book, for example, where she talks about power in language, and Martha, you and I have talked about this before.

She says those who have historically enjoyed a lot of social power have had to worry less about consequences, making it seem like freedom of speech is the same as freedom from consequences for getting it wrong.

And this is what is so interesting and disruptive about recent movements advocating for more sensitive, inclusive language.

She talks, you know, of course, about pronouns.

She talks more about how a language of minority groups, be they gender-based minority groups or racially-based minority groups, have an impact on the larger language.

But she breaks down these worries that we have about language and explains them in a practical, realistic, fact-based way so that anyone can understand.

So this is a book by a great linguist.

I’ve known her for decades for anyone, not for other linguists.

And I would highly recommend this.

It’s called Says Who? A Kinder Funner Usage Guide for Everyone Who Cares About Words.

And it’s by Anne, A-N-N-E, Curzan, C-U-R-Z-A-N.

What a great title.

I love that she added funner to the title.

And your book, Martha?

My book is Dictionary of Fine Distinctions, Nuances, Niceties, and Subtle Shades of Meaning by Eli Bernstein.

We’ll link to them both from our website, of course.

Martha and I are always interested to know what you’re reading and what you would recommend to everyone else who listens to our show.

Let us know, 877-929-9673.

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