Nothing inflames the language purists like an illogical irregardless or a hideous otherization. To a purist these are "howlers" and "non-words," fit only for scorn. But in their rush to condemn such terms, are the nay-sayers missing something? In this provocative and hugely entertaining book, Rebecca Gowers throws light on a vast array of horrible words, and shows how the diktats of the pedants are repeatedly based on misinformation, false reasoning and straight-up snobbery. The result is a brilliant work of history, a surreptitious introduction to linguistics, and a...