Contradictionary

Do you know the difference between burgers and burghers? Between a cassock and a Cossack? How about a hassock, a hillock, and a hummock? If the answer is "No" (or "Huh?") , then Contradictionary is meant for you.. With hundreds of entries-ranging in length from the pithy gloss to the mini-essay-this quirky, informative book will give aid and comfort to anyone who has ever been flummoxed (not hummocked) by words that don't mean what they look as though they ought to mean. It will also prevent you from using the wrong word in the wrong place, or from trying to show off a ten-dollar word, only to find that it doesn't really fit the bill. (And let's not forget the pleasure of catching others doing the same thing!) . Unlike conventional lexicographers, Fritz Spiegl is never afraid to express strong opinions on subjects as ticklish as the omniscience of God (see CHUTZPAH / CHEEK) and the nature of traffic jams (see BOTTLENECK / HOLD-UP) . His witty asides and delightful digressions on confusible words add a dash of irreverence to this large helping of reference. Whether you're primarily a writer, a reader, a talker, or a listener, browsing through Contradictionary is an experience you won't want to forego. Or is it forgo?. Fritz Spiegl delighted readers for more than ten years with his "Word Play" and "Usage and Abusage" columns in the Daily Telegraph. He was the author of books about both music and the English language. Among those on the latter subject are Media Write/Media Speak, Keep Taking the Tabloids, Dead Funny, and The Joy of Words. He died in 2003.Contradictionary was his last book.