From one of the worlds most beloved and bestselling authors, a terrifically useful and readable guide to the problems of the English language most commonly encountered by editors and writers.What is the singular form of graffiti? From what mythological figure is the word tantalize derived? One of the English languages most skilled writers guides us all toward precise, mistake-free usage. Covering spelling, capitalization, plurals, hyphens, abbreviations, and foreign names and phrases, Brysons Dictionary for Writers and Editors will be an indispensable companion for all who care enough about our language not to maul, misuse, or contort it.As Bill Bryson notes, English is a dazzlingly idiosyncratic tongue, full of quirks and irregularities that often seem willfully at odds with logic and common sense. This dictionary is an essential guide to the wonderfully disordered thing that is the English language.From the Hardcover edition.