Horrible Words: A Guide to the Misuse of English

Gowers (The Twisted Heart) presents a brief, witty primer that will charm, or frustrate, language mavens and grammar gurus. The book’s subtitle gives a hint of her subversive agenda. Far from condemning this “misuse,” the book is a kind of tongue-in-cheek how-to for misusing English and annoying the usage “gripers.” Playing off such books as A.P. Herbert’s What a Word!, Gowers first looks at phrasal verbs (“fess up”), past tenses (“snuck” vs “sneaked”), and the use of “-ize” or “-ise” to create new verbs at will (for example, “Coventrise,” to destroy by aerial bombardment). Part two considers registers—slang, fancy language, and monosyllables, among others. Gower’s point is that it is through such “horrible words” that languages grow. The English language, she concludes, “is as much yours as it is anyone’s; it is one of the wonders of the world and it is free. If you choose to, you can play your part with style.” Elegantly written, chock-full of etymological curiosities, and often laugh-out-loud funny, Gowers’s book is a delight. (May)