Date: 09-Oct-2005 From: Karen Chung <karchungntu.edu.tw> Subject: NYT: Review of 'Slam Dunks and No-Brainers'
The New York Times
'Slam Dunks and No-Brainers': Whassup? Don't Ask By P. J. O'ROURKE October 9, 2005
...
'Slam Dunks' is neither prescriptive nor descriptive, nor is it in fact about language at all. It is about Leslie Savan's opinions of language: 'from the high-strung Hel-lo?! to the laidback hey, from the withering whatever to the triumphant Yesss!, an army of brave new words is occupying our social life. . . . The catchwords, phrases, inflections and quickie concepts that Americans seem unable to communicate without have grown into a verbal kudzu.' Opinions of language are as interesting as opinions of arithmetic.
A little information makes any book about language a pleasure. Very little information is found in 'Slam Dunks.' Much effort is expended citing the use of catchphrases. ...
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