Features
- Cover Type: Paperback with 304 pages
- Published by: St. Martin's Griffin December 17, 2003
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 0312318138
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-0312318130
-
Book Dimensions:
8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
- Weighs: 3.2 ounces
From Publishers Weekly
Noted linguist Lederer (Anguished English) has a naughty side, which, combined with his unerring archival instincts, makes this collection of wordplays a bawdily noteworthy achievement. As long as one doesn't overdose on more than two chapters at a time (as the author warns one should not), this book repeatedly rewards the open-minded. How about the "poonerism" (that's what Lederer dubs a dirty spoonerism, or juxtaposition of sounds within a word or sentence) that defines call girls as "the lays of our dives" and a bordello as a "toll-cookie house"? Or the list of limericks and the pun-filled "delectable daughter" jokes? Lederer strives to illuminate the "verbal vivacity of our vocabulary and illustrate one of the most amazing miracles of language-the ability of two or more meanings to occupy the same space at the same time." Blending the richness of English with the seemingly endless supply of raunchy word tricks, the author takes pride in providing humorous, but never hurtful verbal wit, all in the name of fun and education. After all, "a dirty mind is a terrible thing to waste."
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Reader Reviews
I had lots of fun with this book. Mr. Lederer, I blame you for the lost hours of sleep! :-) There are parts of the book that I wouldn't want kids to see, but it's mostly harmless. My favourite is the poem where the last line of each stanza is missing a word which based on the rhyme would be quite risque, but it's a riot when you see what happens at the beginning of the next stanza.
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