Bloomsbury Dictionary Of Phrase Allusion

With more than 5000 entries, from Abandon hope all ye who enter here to Led Zeppelin, this book explores the origins and meanings of allusions, words, names and phrases from the worlds of literature, politics and popular culture. The entries include contemporary references as well as information on classical mythology, saints' names, acronyms, collective nouns and pseudonyms.

This guide explores the meanings of words, names and phrases which are used in literature and popular culture but which come from many sources such as books, films, the Bible, Shakespeare, television, and the theatre. It also contains information on classical mythology, acronyms and pseudonyms.

Covering over 10,000 idioms and collocations characterized by similarity in their wording or metaphorical idea which do not show corresponding similarity in their meanings, this dictionary presents a unique cross-section of the English language. Though it is designed specifically to assist readers in avoiding the use of inappropriate or erroneous phrases, the book can also be used as a regular phraseological dictionary providing definitions to individual idioms, cliches, and set expressions. Most phrases included in the dictionary are in active current use, making information about their meanings and usage essential to language learners at all levels of proficiency.

The thirteen chapters of this book comprise an intriguing and informative entry into the world of proverb scholarship, illustrating that proverbs have always been and continue to be wisdom's international currency. The first section of the book focuses on the field of paremiology (proverb studies) in general, the spread of Anglo-American proverbs in Europe, and the phenomenon of modern proverbs. The second section analyzes the use of proverbs in the world of politics, including a chapter on President Obama, while the third concentrates on the uses of proverbs in literature. The final section ends with detailed cultural studies of the origin, history, dissemination, use, function, and meaning of specific proverbs. Noted scholar Wolfgang Mieder shows that proverbs matter in culture, literature, and politics. Proverbs remain part and parcel of oral and written communication, and, he demonstrates, they deserve to be studied from a range of viewpoints. While various chapters deal with a variety of issues and approaches, they cohere through a rhetorical perspective that looks at the text, texture, and context of proverbs as speech acts that make a noteworthy impact on culture and society. Whether proverbs appear in everyday speech, on the radio, on television, in films, on the pages of newspapers or magazines, in advertisements, in literary works, or in political speeches, they serve as formulaic verbal devices to add authoritative weight through tradition, convention, and wisdom.

Whether applying for a job, writing a letter of complaint or simply talking with colleagues or friends, the people who get listened to are those with a confident command of language. Choose the Right Word is a fun guide to using English effectively and to avoiding common mistakes. It is both a valuable work of reference and an enjoyable read. While plotting a path through a minefield of rules and conventions, the book acknowledges that English is an ever-changing language and points out those rules that can at times be broken. 70 light-hearted quizzes show you how to use words that will make your point powerfully, and usage tips set you right on contextual issues. Curio Corners tell the fascinating stories behind dozens of everyday words and phrases. What's the difference between affect and effect; abjure and adjure? Does AD for Anno Domino come before or after the year - and the century? Should you write all right or alright; adviser or advisor? How did the word alcohol come into our language? Just how sure are you about your apostrophes?