Dictionary of Modern English Grammar (Wordsworth Reference) Review

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Dictionary of Modern English Grammar (Wordsworth Reference) ReviewFrom the first page to the last, this book is filled with incorrect information. In fact, you don't even need to read past the cover blurb to find this out, as it proudly states that English is "largely rooted in ancient Greek and Latin" and how understanding this is important to understanding English. (The truth, in case you are wondering, is that English is an Indo-European language, just as Greek and Latin--and a multitude of other languages--are, but to say that English is somehow derived from them when both are, in fact, derived from earlier languages is completely false. The greatest influence of Latin and Greek on English is simply in the dictionary: we've mostly just borrowed some words.)
The book itself is a list of topics, arranged alphabetically, in a dictionary style. What the author chooses to say about these entries varies widely--sometimes he gives a fairly objective definition, sometimes his own opinion, but most entries are language-related words for which he tries to give a linguistic description. These "definitions," however, are frequently inaccurate. His definition of "syllable" is "Word sound. Every word is composed of one or more syllables." This is obviously vague, as one would be more inclined to describe "phoneme" as a "word sound," and, in fact, he somewhat does, saying phoneme is "used [in literacy teaching] to elevate what was once called a 'word sound' into a more scientific-sounding term." Surely he doesn't think "phoneme" and "syllable" mean the same thing. And for good laughs, look up "received pronunciation" (for non-linguists, this is "BBC English," with the American cultural equivalent being, perhaps, "newscaster" General American English): "English spoken without regional accent." (Again, for non-linguists: everybody--yes, even you from the Midwest--has an "accent." Everybody thinks they don't but claims everyone else does; it's simply how sounds pattern in your language or language variety.)
If you are a linguist and want a good laugh, I recommend this book; if you are looking for a factual source on language or linguistics, look elsewhere. Not only does this book fall into many of the "traditional grammar" traps (e.g., "a noun is a person, place, thing, or idea"--but I'm not even paying attention to that since it's so widespread and can serve as a stepping stone into the world of actual syntactic analysis), but it has so many factual inaccuracies I find it hard to imagine how it got published. I should have known from the cover blurb.
If you are looking for a serious linguistic analysis of English, get an introductory linguistics textbook instead. (The same can be said if you are looking at any book that claims to describe English and does so in the "traditional" manner--you should probably get a linguistics book instead--but it's especially true with this one.) If you are looking for a style guide, get one of those instead--and don't believe the author that there is only one "proper" way to speak or write, another fallacy this author seems to fall into. (Yes, there is a "standard" way and the way that is expected in educational and other settings--but because someone speaks a different variety at home does not make him or her less intelligent.)Dictionary of Modern English Grammar (Wordsworth Reference) OverviewIs there a right way to speak and write English? This unique new guide to the language is dedicated to answering the question - in Plain English. Compiled for readers from school age onwards, this is a book of easy reference. It explains the workings of 21st-century English, from the most basic rules of grammar and spelling to the origins of the language in the ancient world, and the curiosities of current slang. Included is latest advice on the abbreviated language of the text message, and how to navigate the treacherous linguistic realms of political correctness.

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