Eric Partridge Book order

Points out common errors in the way we write and shows us how to correct them. Gives many examples of linguistic abuse, showing how and where to avoid it Provides definitions of terms such as ambiguity, irony, metaphor and jargon Explains complexgrammatical terms such as disguised conjunctions and fused participles Demonstrates how to use punctuation and grammar to ensure clarity Offers constructive advice on the proper use of English

This work looks at the area defined as "cant". It includes the vocabulary of "crooks, criminals, racketeers, beggars, tramps, convicts and the commercial underworld, the drug traffic, the white slave traffic and spivs", gathered from many countries and from obscure sources.

For over fifty years the name of Eric Partridge has been synonymous with slang in the English language. This edition, based on his famous volume, makes it fully relevant to the language of today.

Nearly 50,000 entries recall the living speech of a world now largely lost. Often wry and flippant, occasionally "blue", and sometimes uproariously comical, they recapture the rich idiom of English life through the ages.