Plain words: a guide to the use of English
Not available
London
9780241960349
Not available
Not available
Not available
"Be short, be simple, be human." When Sir Ernest Gowers first wrote Plain Words, it was intended simply as a guide to the proper use of English for the Civil Service. Within a year, however, its humor, charm, and authority had made it a bestseller. Since then it has never been out of print. Six decades on, writer Rebecca Gowers has created a new edition of this now-classic work that both revises and celebrates her great-grandfather's original. Plain Words has been updated to reflect numerous changes in English usage, yet Sir Ernest's distinctive, witty voice is undimmed. And his message remains vital: our writing should be as clear and comprehensible as possible, avoiding superfluous words and clichés—from the jargon of "commercialese" to the murky euphemisms of politicians. In a new preface, this edition draws on an extensive private archive, previously hidden away in family cupboards and attics, to tell the story behind a book that has become an institution: the essential guide to making yourself understood.
xxvii, 289 p.
20 cm.
Not available
Preface --
1. Prologue --
2. A digression on legal English --
3. The elements --
4. Correctness --
5. The choice of words 1: introductory --
6. The choice of words 2: avoiding the superfluous word --
7. The choice of words 3: choosing the familiar word --
8. The choice of words 4: choosing the precise word --
9. The handling of words --
10. Punctuation --
11. Epilogue --
Appendix: Legal English cannot be pretty if it is to serve its purpose.
1. Prologue --
2. A digression on legal English --
3. The elements --
4. Correctness --
5. The choice of words 1: introductory --
6. The choice of words 2: avoiding the superfluous word --
7. The choice of words 3: choosing the familiar word --
8. The choice of words 4: choosing the precise word --
9. The handling of words --
10. Punctuation --
11. Epilogue --
Appendix: Legal English cannot be pretty if it is to serve its purpose.
| Access no. | Call number | Location | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02749/17 | 808 Gow P | Library - 8th Floor | Available |
