Junk English

In Junk English, Ken Smith takes on the misuse, abuse, and downright decay of the English language. His weapons? A sharp wit and an almost frightening grasp of the depths of the decline. Written so that the ordinary writer and speaker of English can identify and avoid language problems, Junk English reveals how the manipulation of words keeps our nation in a haze of misunderstandings and vagueness. In short sections such as Capital Offenses, Useless Cabooses, Jargon Gridlock, and Warfare English, Smith shows how everyone from Madison Avenue to Middle America has succumbed to euphemisms, mindless jargon, and weasel words. This book is concise, simple, and powerful, and it will change the way you write and the way you perceive the writing of others.