Shades of meaning

by Samuel R. Levin

Much as we speak of junk food, junk bonds and junk mail to describe commodities that lack substance or fail in their functions, Samuel Levin argues that we are currently beset by a new category of junk language. Motivated by a psychological desire to sound more sophisticated, people everywhere are filling their speech and writing with linguistic faux pas that hinder effective communication. Shades of Meaning is a handy guide to words and expressions that are frequently misused by even the most articulate and intelligent users of English. Levin brings to bear an enormous learning in describing not only the distinctions among frequently misused terms but also the linguistic roots of those distinctions and the psychological factors that motivate our errors.