World English : From Aloha to Zed

"We have adopted as words Bartlett's and Webster's; maybe some day, we'll have Hendrickson's as a generic term." -Library Journal, from a review of Human Words From Pittsburgh to Portsmouth to Papua, a lively tour of English usage around the world English is spoken by more than a billion people around the world, and each English-speaking region has made its own unique contribution to English vocabulary. A book that will have great appeal for word lovers, travelers, and any one alive to the rich cultural tapestry that is the new global village, this is an A-to-Z reference to English vocabulary in all its flavors and forms. World English contains thousands of terms and phrases from every English-speaking region, including the U.K., the United States, Canada, Australia, India, the Philippines, the Caribbean, and Africa. Each entry provides region of origin, definition, etymologies, and synonyms found in other English-speaking vocabularies. Plus, this delightful volume features many amusing and enlightening anecdotes, and fun facts.

Robert Hendrickson is the author of several critically acclaimed works on the English language, including Human Words, American Talk: The Words and Ways of American Dialects; The Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins; and Facts on File Dictionary of American Regionalisms. He is also the author of several celebrated works on American literature and the Civil War. He lives in Peconic, New York.