American Slang

With 1,500 new words and phrases, this abridged edition of the Dictionary of American Slang is the most buzzworthy, banging collection of colloquial American English—no joke

This fully updated and abridged fourth edition of American Slang contains more than 1,500 new terms representing the variety and vigor of American slang, from "yada yada yada" to "yo momma." There's no better resource for those who are curious about language, fascinated by counterculture, or just completely confused when other people talk.

Like previous editions, this edition features pronunciation guides, word origins, examples of appropriate usage as well as a helpful highlighting system that lets you know which terms should be used with caution, and never in polite company. Both an important archive of the way America is really talking and a lot of fun to read, American Slang will prove to be an invaluable companion in keeping up with the dauntingly jargon-filled, quickly evolving language of today.

Barbara Ann Kipfer, Ph.D., is a lexicographer who has authored or compiled more than forty books, including the Dictionary of American Slang (with Robert L. Chapman), The Order of Things, Writer's Digest Flip Dictionary, and the bestselling 14,000 Things to Be Happy About. She received her doctorate in linguistics from England's University of Exeter.

Distributor: HarperCollins Publishers
Publication Date: 08-19-2008
Pages: 576
Measurements: 8.25in X 5.5in X 1.44in X 18.00oz