This etymological tour de force was written by an autodidact who became a world-famous linguist and editor of the Oxford English Dictionary. Deeply educational yet not overwhelming, this compact culmination of a philological life uses nontechnical terms to explain links between English and other tongues — Greek, Latin, German, Spanish, and French.
Here's a sample of other books in this Dover category
The Elements of Style: The Original Edition by William Strunk, Jr. This is the book that generations of writers have relied upon for timeless advice on grammar, diction, syntax, and other essentials. In concise terms, it identifies the principal requirements of proper style and common errors.
Language: An Introduction to the Study of Speech by Edward Sapir This book asks and answers fundamental questions about how language works, its regional variations, and its cultural and historical roles. The author relates linguistic issues to a broad spectrum of other areas.
Fallacies and Pitfalls of Language: The Language Trap by S. Morris Engel Witty, thought-provoking exploration of government newspeak, exaggerated advertising claims, propaganda and other misuses of language — and how to combat them.
Essential English Grammar by Philip Gucker Logical, developmental presentation includes all the necessary tools for speech and comprehension and features numerous shortcuts and timesavers. Ideal as an introduction, supplement, or refresher.
