WORDSMITHING REVIEW: Where a Dobdob meets a Dikdik - Bill Casselman

Release Date: 29/10/10

BOOK BLURB:

Were you taught in school that the English language has no rhyme for the word 'orange'? What about 'month', 'silver', or 'purple'? No rhymes for those either? Bill Casselman says poppycock! Digging into the dim recesses of the English language, he shows that there are valid rhyming words for all of these. Along the way, he explores the highways and byways of English - the world's wackiest language. English rejoices in a teeming trove of lexical gems borrowed from almost every language on Earth. Casselman expands his readers' vocabulary, from the sublime to the ridiculous, reveling in odd, obscure words and in amusing anecdotes about familiar phrases (Do you know the origin of 'For the love of Mike'?) Here's the perfect book to celebrate the wonders, the complexities, and the absurdities of our Mother Tongue. By the way, the word 'sporange' rhymes with orange. It's a small capsule or receptacle that holds spores in certain species of mold.


REVIEW:

Whether you have a passing interest in the origin of words and phrases or are a scrabble nut or writer this book is one that will give you a whole new understanding of some of the languages nuances as well as some interesting factual trivia that could save your bacon in a pub quiz or just to impress that know it all in your life.

It’s definitely a quirky title and one that gives you a fun understanding of some of the changes in modern language. Add to this the authoritative as well as respectful tone of the Bill to guide you through the shark infested lexicon world and you know that its going to be a book that will be worth thumbing through a good few times. Beautifully presented this book is definitely something that will appeal to a great many readers as well as a great gift for that English loving person in your life.