{"product_id":"authorisms-book-paul-dickson-9781620405406","title":"Authorisms","description":"\u003cp\u003eWilliam Shakespeare's written vocabulary consisted of 17,245 words, including hundreds that were coined or popularized by him. Some of the words never went further than their appearance in his plays, but others-like \u003ci\u003ebedazzled\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003ehurry\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003ecritical, \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eanchovy\u003c\/i\u003e-are essential parts of our standard vocabulary today.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMany other famous and lesser-known writers have contributed to the popular lexicon. According to the \u003ci\u003eOxford English Dictionary\u003c\/i\u003e, Sir Walter Scott ranks second to Shakespeare in first uses of words and giving a new and distinct meaning to already existing words (\u003ci\u003eFree Lances\u003c\/i\u003e for freelancers). John Milton minted such terms as\u003ci\u003e earthshaking\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003elovelorn\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eby hook or crook\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eall Hell broke loose\u003c\/i\u003e, and was responsible for introducing some 630 words. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGifted lexicographer Paul Dickson deftly sorts through neologisms by Chaucer (\u003ci\u003ea ha\u003c\/i\u003e), Jane Austen (\u003ci\u003ebase ball\u003c\/i\u003e), Louisa May Alcott (\u003ci\u003eco-ed\u003c\/i\u003e), Mark Twain (\u003ci\u003ehard-boiled\u003c\/i\u003e), Kurt Vonnegut (\u003ci\u003egranfalloon\u003c\/i\u003e), John le Carre (\u003ci\u003emole\u003c\/i\u003e), William Gibson (\u003ci\u003ecyberspace\u003c\/i\u003e), and many others. Presenting stories behind each word and phrase, Dickson enriches our appreciation of the English language in a book as entertaining as it is enlightening.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"WoB","offers":[{"title":"GB \/ VERY_GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49533461397777,"sku":"GOR005968068","price":4.1,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"GB \/ GOOD \/ INTERNAL","offer_id":49980080488721,"sku":"GOR008811492","price":3.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50116706205969,"sku":"CIN1620405407G","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ VERY_GOOD \/ SBYB","offer_id":50944784335121,"sku":"CIN1620405407VG","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false},{"title":"US \/ WELL_READ \/ SBYB","offer_id":51330233958673,"sku":"CIN1620405407A","price":0.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0784\/4072\/6801\/files\/1620405407.jpg?v=1751451118","url":"https:\/\/www.worldofbooks.com\/en-gb\/products\/authorisms-book-paul-dickson-9781620405406","provider":"World of Books ","version":"1.0","type":"link"}