Predicting New Words: The Secrets of Their Success – An Original Work on Why Coined Terms Endure or Fail - Softcover

Metcalf, Allan

  • 3.28 out of 5 stars
    32 ratings by Goodreads
 
9780618130085: Predicting New Words: The Secrets of Their Success – An Original Work on Why Coined Terms Endure or Fail
Softcover
ISBN 10: 061813008X ISBN 13: 9780618130085
Publisher: Mariner Books, 2004

Synopsis

Have you ever aspired to gain linguistic immortality by making up a word? Many people — such famous writers as Jonathan Swift, Lewis Carroll, and Dr. Seuss, along with many lesser-knowns — have coined new words that have endured. But most of the new words people put forward fail to find favor. Why are some new words adopted, while others are ignored? Allan Metcalf explores this question in his fascinating look at new-word creation.
In surveying past coinages and proposed new words, Metcalf discerns lessons for linguistic longevity. He shows us, for instance, why the humorist Gelett Burgess succeeded in contributing the words blurb and bromide to the language but failed to win anyone over to bleesh or diabob. Metcalf examines terms invented to describe political causes and social phenomena (silent majority, Gen-X), terms coined in books (edge city, Catch-22), brand names and words derived from them (aspirin, Ping-Pong), and words that derive from misunderstandings (cherry, kudo). He develops a scale for predicting the success of newly coined words and uses it to foretell which emerging words will outlast the twenty-first century. In this highly original work, Metcalf shows us how to spin syllabic straw into linguistic gold.

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About the Author

Allan Metcalf is a professor of English at MacMurray College, executive secretary of the American Dialect Society, and author of books on language and writing. His books on language include AMERICA IN SO MANY WORDS (with David K. Barnhart), THE WORLD IN SO MANY WORDS, HOW WE TALK: AMERICAN REGIONAL ENGLISH TODAY, PREDICTING NEW WORDS, and PRESIDENTIAL VOICES. His books on writing include RESEARCH TO THE POINT and ESSENTIALS OF WRITING TO THE POINT. He lives in Jacksonville, Illinois.

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Publisher
Mariner Books
Publication date
2004
Language
English
ISBN 10 
061813008X
ISBN 13 
9780618130085
Binding
Paperback
Number of pages
224
Rating
  • 3.28 out of 5 stars
    32 ratings by Goodreads

Other Popular Editions of the Same Title

9780618130061: Predicting New Words: The Secrets of Their Success

Featured Edition

ISBN 10:  0618130063 ISBN 13:  9780618130061
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2002
Hardcover