Accomodating Brocolli in the Cemetary Or Why Can't Anybody Spell

by Cook, Vivian

• ISBN13: 9780743297110
• ISBN10: 0743297113
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-10-15
• Publisher: Atria Books

Summary

"It is a damn poor mind that can think of only one way to spell a word." -- Andrew JacksonWeird or wierd? Necessary or neccessary? Recomend or recommend? English spelling is fiendish, but that doesn't mean you can't have fun with it.Accomodating Brocolli in the Cemetary is at once a celebration of spelling and a solace to anyone who has ever struggled with the arcane rules of the English language. As amusing as he is informative, Vivian Cook thrills the reader with more than a hundred entries -- from photographs of hilariously misspelled signs to quizzes best taken in private to schadenfreude-rich examples of spelling errors of literary greats -- that will tickle the inner spelling geek in every reader.It all adds up to a gem of a book that takes a wry look at the hodgepodge evolution of spelling and the eccentric way it actually works.Difficult Words Spelling TestCircle whichever one is right.1. dessicate desiccate desicate2. ecstasy exstacy ecstacy3. adress adres address4. dumbel dumbbell dumbell5. accomodate accommodate acommodate6. necesary neccesary necessary7. liaison liaision liason8. pronounciation pronounceation pronunciation9. ocurence occurrence occurence10. embarass embaras embarrass11. brocolli broccolli broccoli12. refering referring refferring13. cemetery semetary cemetary

Author Biography

Vivian Cook is professor of applied linguistics at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. He was inspired to write this book out of frustration with those who, not knowing the crucial gender difference between the British spellings Vivian and Vivien assume from his first name that he is a woman. He lives in Colchester, England.