Insightful and humorous, these short essays cover the waterfront of topics for readers who find the English language fascinating: Words lost and gained, the "Dictionary Wars," Redundancy, Greek debt, Ink Horn terms, Mondegreens, Words as madeleines, Silent Knights, and 4-letter words, are but a few examples. The author uses poetry, literature, and notable quotes to illustrate. He urges readers not to commit "lexicide" but to help keep words alive by using them, and to invent their own words when necessary.