On Intimate Terms

Download or read book A Dictionary of Epithets and Terms of Address written by Leslie Dunkling and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2008-02-20 with total page 698 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book will give learners of English the confidence to address people appropriately in a wide variety of situations. It will also help them to understand what is implied when an English speaker uses a particular way of addressing someone. These topics are entirely neglected in most courses and textbooks, and there is no other reference work on the subject. Anyone who is fascinated by words will also find much here of interest. A wealth of historical, sociological and etymological information is set out in a highly readable style. Some 2,000 entries arranged in alphabetical order shed new light on familiar terms of address and present many curiosities. The author gives examples from a wide range of literature, particularly twentieth century novels, and provides an illuminating commentary on them.