The Grand Panjandrum: & 1,999 Other Rare, Useful, and Delightful Words and Expressions

by J.N. Hook

Book Overview

Health This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0025536206
• ISBN13: 9780025536203
• Release Date: January 1980
• Publisher: MacMillan Publishing Company
• Length: 392 Pages
• Weight: 1.56 lbs.

Customer Reviews

A Nonpareil Heuristic!

This book is a MUST HAVE for lovers of linguistics, semantics, words off of the beaten track and crossword puzzles! 38 Chapters zero in on everything from "People's Names for Names" to "A Potpourri of Adjectives."From Chapter 37NONPAREIL - adj, n. As an adjective, 'nonpareil' means unequaled, peerless; as a noun, a paragon, a person with no equal: HEURISTIC - adj Greek 'heuriskein' means to discover. In modern logic a heuristic tool is one that helps or may help in discovering a truth, even though itself incapable of proof or demonstration. For example, no one can speak with assurance about the qualities of the "ideal man," but the concept as a heuristic device may lead to constructive thinking and even to empirical research. In education, the "discovery method," in which a student learns by discovering things for hermself* is also sometimes described as heuristic.*Hermself (contraction of: her/himself): In the age of politically correct language, several unisexual words are presented.