The simplicity of english. The power of english. The english treasury of words. A world-literature in english. English synonyms-their abundance and help-fulness. The english dictionary and how to use it. English connectives - the links of style. English grammar - the frame of style. The enlargement and improvement of the vocabulary. Impoverishment of the vocabulary. cant, slang, etc. Dificulties in english - the way out. Clearness of style. Clearness of style. Clearness of style. Clearness of style. The art of brevity. Figures of speech. Inventive art in speaking and writing. Constructive literary work. Life the supreme achievement.

Excerpt from Expressive English It is often held to be a sufficient description or definition of language to speak of it as "a medium of communication among intelligent beings." Language is that, indeed, and can never be less than that. But that is its lowest office. The hen calls her brood by a glad cluck to a fine bit of grain, or warns them by a terrifying note of the sweep of a hawk. But she has soon gone round the circle of ideas appropriate to her species, and the "medium of communication" has no place in the realm beyond, where for her and hers there is nothing to communicate. In all human beings, however, except the most degraded, there is a demand for communication of thought and feeling from one to another beyond what language as used by them can yet convey. With all mental advance the reach and range and delicacy of thought and feeling evermore outstrip the capacity of words to utter them. Language is under a constant impulsion to express ideas and emotions which are still beyond its power. It is true that a decaying civilization may shrivel up, as it were, within a language, until it has no use for many words and phrases which were full of meaning to men of a nobler day. Such a language is in process of becoming a "dead language," as the Greek and Latin were becoming in Europe five centuries ago. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

An illustrated guide to more than 850 gestures and their meanings around the world, from a nod of the head to a click of the heels. Gestures convey meaning with a flourish. A vigorous nod of the head, a bold jut of the chin, an enthusiastic thumbs-up: all speak louder than words. Yet the same gesture may have different meanings in different parts of the world. What Americans understand as the “A-OK gesture,” for example, is an obscene insult in the Arab world. This volume is the reference book we didn't know we needed—an illustrated dictionary of 850 gestures and their meanings around the world. It catalogs voluntary gestures made to communicate openly—as distinct from sign language, dance moves, involuntary “tells,” or secret handshakes—and explains what the gesture conveys in a variety of locations. It is organized by body part, from top to bottom, from head (nodding, shaking, turning) to foot (scraping, kicking, playing footsie). We learn that “to oscillate the head while gently throwing it back” communicates approval in some countries even though it resembles the headshake of disapproval used in other countries; that “to tap a slightly inflated cheek” constitutes an erotic invitation when accompanied by a wink; that the middle finger pointed in the air signifies approval in South America. We may already know that it is a grave insult in the Middle East and Asia to display the sole of one's shoe, but perhaps not that motorcyclists sometimes greet each other by raising a foot. Illustrated with clever line drawings and documented with quotations from literature (the author, François Caradec, was a distinguished and prolific historian of literature, culture, and humorous oddities, as well as a novelist and poet), this dictionary offers readers unique lessons in polylingual meaning.

Feelings play an enormous part in our lives, but their expression is often neglected in foreign language education. How do I communicate happiness, surprise, or anger? How do others communicate these emotions to me? Such questions become increasingly relevant as we become more competent in the language we are learning. Expressive Japanese is the first detailed guide to emotion words and expressive strategies for students of the language. Words connoting feelings, such as "kanashii" (sad), are important in everyday Japanese conversation, but communicating emotions effectively also requires the use of expressive strategies, such as "Nani?" (What the heck?), "Yattaa!" (I did it!), or "Hottoite!" (Leave me alone!). Introductory chapters examine the characteristics, constraints, and history of expressive Japanese and discuss linguistic variations and styles and how these play a part in conveying emotion and empathy. There follow more than seventy entries that draw on hundreds of authentic examples taken from a variety of sources, including television dramas, comics, interviews, novels, essays, newspaper articles, and web sites. In these examples, students will find playful and creative uses of expressions that do not usually appear in language textbooks. English cues and key Japanese expressions are indexed at the back of the volume, making this a handy reference for anyone who possesses a grasp of the fundamentals of elementary Japanese. Based on extensive research by a prominent linguist and teacher, Expressive Japanese brings learners into the world of real human interaction and effectively illustrates how native speakers use language to convey identity and a sense of self as well as to communicate feelings and emotion.