American-English by Val Dumond
When was the last time you reviewed your beliefs about writing? Took a look at the language rules with all their exceptions? Tried to discover your own writing style? Probably never We all sopped up grammar rules in school as if they were manna handed down from on high. And now, as grownups, you see more clearly that those were just ideas of rules that you were made to learn, nothing cast in stone or made official. At last, comes an official guide to American-English - as unique as the country that uses it. No hard-and-fast rules to learn, since you are dealing with a language comprised of a variety of other languages. American-English is like no other for the simple reason it lacks a set of rules we can all agree on. So why try What makes this book official is the use of guidelines - not rules - on which you the writer can learn your own options, make your own decisions, and choose the ones that best fit your style of writing. And that doesn't include the styles set by creators of corporate style manuals that reflect only how employees of that corporation are to write. American-English reviews the parts of speech by emphasizing the way those words function and how to choose words that readers will understand. You'll also review the strange curly cues, dots, and lines that form punctuation - to provide readers with the sound of your written voice. And finally, you'll find guidelines to put it all together, including help in learning ways to improve word usage, sentence structure, paragraph patterns, spelling, the use of numbers, and avoiding biased language (PC means polite and courteous here). You'll find a succinct list of Grammar Glitches and a full index to guide your special-needs search.
Val Dumond is a life-long language buff and author of books about grammar and inclusive language. Grammar For Grownups was her response to a HarperCollins editor asking for a grammar book anyone could understand. The book was a best seller for more than a decade when rights were returned to the author. This new version is a re-issue of the original book, still easily understood -- and used by people who write as part of their work and people who write because it's fun. Now, after editing more than 60 books, and fed up with language confusion, she offers her feisty views on the state of language today. She still considers grammar too much fun to be taught to children; you have to be a grownup to appreciate it. Val has grown with the book industry, editing more than 60 books, publishing both with mainstream and independents, and using the Internet (Facebook, her website, blogs, LinkedIn, Twitter, Amazon, and Kindle) to market her books. She says, I love the feel of a book in my hands, but I'm recognizing the trend towards communicating stories electronically... a fascinating concept. All of her books are available on Kindle. Val encourages writers to polish their manuscripts and research publishing opportunities. As leader of a writing group, she developed Muddy Puddle Press as an exercise to teach writers how to publish independently. Many of her students have since published their own books. Val has turned to writing novels, completing a few that have languished in her computer files, and fashioning new ones - mostly published as eBooks. Published by Muddy Puddle Press, her novels to date include: Ahlam's Stories, How We Fought World War II at William T. Sherman Elementary School, and her latest, Sugar, Spice, and Stone (about Klondike Kate). Other new publications include The Anarchist's Guide to Grammar, an in-your-face approach to grammar, and Are You Singing Your Song? -- a compilation of words from folks who are living life their way. A member of EuraLex, Modern Language Association, the North American Dictionary Society, and the Pacific Northwest Writers Association, Val participates in as many U.S. and international conferences as possible. This author lives in the Pacific Northwest where she volunteers with her favorite nonprofits, raises herbs and raspberries, watches her yard critters, and plans her next travels.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780979746697 |
| ISBN 10 | 0979746698 |
| Title | American-English |
| Author | Val Dumond |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Muddy Puddle Press |
| Year published | 2016-05-23 |
| Number of pages | 314 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |