The Oxford Dictionary of American Political Slang
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Book Overview
The Oxford Dictionary of American Political Slang illuminates a rich and colorful segment of our language. Readers will find informative entries on slang terms such as "Beltway bandit" and "boondoggle," "angry white male" and "leg treasurer," "juice bill" and "Joe Citizen," "banana superpower" and "the Big Fix." We find not only the meaning and history of familiar terms such as "gerrymander," but also of lesser-known terms such as "cracking" (splitting a bloc of like-minded voters by redistricting) and "fair-fight district" (which refers to areas redistricted to favor no political party). Each entry includes the definition of the word, its historical background, and illuminating citations, some going back more than 200 years. Selected entries will have extended encyclopedic notes. The book also features sidebar essays on topics such as political words in Blogistan; a short history of "big cheese"; all about chads and the 2000 election; the suffix "-gate" and all the related Watergate terms; and the naming of legislation. Political junkies, policy wonks, journalists, and word lovers will find this book addictive reading as well as a reliable guide to one of the more colorful corners of American English.
Format:Paperback
Language:English
ISBN:0195304470
ISBN13:9780195304473
Release Date:April 2006
Publisher:Oxford University Press
Length:322 Pages
Weight:0.75 lbs.
Dimensions:0.9" x 5.1" x 7.7"
Customer Reviews
2 ratings
smart fun
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
As a writer for an ad agency, I have a collection of "word books" I use as a distraction during moments of boredom or stress. Today I picked up The Official Dictionary of Unofficial English and within the first few pages it transitioned from distraction to pure entertainment. Words which made me laugh, smile, reminisce, gross-out, and reflect were suddenly buzzing in my brain. My advice: grab a copy and enjoy.
excellent, excellent, excellent
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
Got this in the mail today. A reader of Barrett's website, the double-tongued wordwrester, this is exactly what I'd hoped for -- a serious, scholarly book, but with edgy content that is often just plain fun. Interesting introductory essay that includes a discussion of Barrett's methodology in finding new words on the internet. Great for the coffee table and liesurely rainy-day browsing.
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