Fifty Years among the New Words: A Dictionary of Neologisms 1941-1991

Description

American Speech, the journal of the American Dialect Society has for fifty years included a regular collection of neologisms called 'Among the New Words.' A recent issue, for example, includes four quotations for 'date rape,' two for 'designated driver,' and six for "DNA fingerprinting,' 'intifada,' and other current terms. Complete documentation is given for all citations, which are fuller than those given in most dictionaries and both British and American sources have been consulted. At the time these terms appeared in 'Among the New Words,' they appeared in none of the major dictionaries. A survey of 'Among the New Words' can therefore reveal much about the origin and early use of these expressions and the social climate in which they prospered. Now for the first time, this valuable resource will be available in one volume. The original articles themselves are reproduced and John Algeo has prepared a complete index, with glossary, to every word and expression included in the 113 installments of 'Among the New Words.' In addition, he has written several introductory essays exploring both the linguistic and social implications of new words as revealed in this collection. No other collection of new words has been so systematically compiled over such a long period, demonstrating changing word patterns and social norms over five decades. None has been prepared with such thorough and accurate documentation. It is a unique repository of language use from 1941-1991.

"New words from politics, popular literature, sports, business, medicine, and just about any field or academic discipline one can think of are included in this helpful resource. Most interesting is the opening essay in which the formation of new words is intelligently and intelligibly described. Academic libraries will want to have this as a supplement to their standard dictionary sources...Large public libraries will also find Fifty Years valuable." Reference Books Bulletin "All those interested in the development of the English language owe John Algeo and the Cambridge University Press a debt of gratitude for providing such a valuable resource." Henry J. Ricardo, American Reference Books Annual "...not merely a lexical list; read sequentially, it gives the sense of thier newness, with brief contemporary commentary. The introduction also puts in perspective the whole matter of neologism in present-day English in the native-English-speaking world." Frederic G. Cassidy, Language "...an amazing work...A lengthy, illuminating, and thorough study of neologisms...This book is a work-lover's dream come true. Browsing through the Glossary reveals a lifetime of lexicon...Cambridge delights us with such a publication: making it available in paperback at such an affordable price leaves few with any excuse for not owning a copy." Verbatim "A fascinating book about new words and new expressions, how they arose, their original or early meanings and current usage...a living tale of our contemporary society...Highly recommended for students and all those interested in the words and their etymology." Diogenis Modernos, Xponika