The Deadword Dictionary: A Book of Outdated Words - Tapa blanda

The Deadword Dictionary was first written more than twenty years ago. I’m making some changes, based on further refinement of the concept, and also including an “Iffy” section. Here are the rules for the selection of Deadwords: Orphans, words used in only a single common expression, with no flexibility, such as “yore” as in “days of yore.” Faux amis, words borrowed from another language but misunderstood or misapplied (à la mode) Obsolete words or phrases Iffy words—you decide whether they still have weight in today’s language. You might call this the rearview mirror perspective, with a “huh” under one’s breath. Yeah? They really said that? The English language is like a kitchen sponge: it picks up all the tiny pieces of we-don’t-know-what but we need a word, so we’ll just use this stray one from we-don’t-care-where. But when did you last see a “doublet” or “spitoon” or use “whilom”—why keep them around? A little housecleaning is in order here. Got your favorite overworked obsolete nugget? Send it in to bandanna@cox.net.

The compiler and editor, Sasha Newborn, has been a small press publisher for almost forty years, first with Mudborn Press, then as publisher of Bandanna Books. This volume, under the Mudborn Press imprint, was begun a long time ago and is finally reaching publication, thanks to advances in printing and publishing, such as the valuable resource of CreateSpace. Sasha Newborn has two novels, and a number of anthologies or publications, listed at the Bandanna Books site, www.bandannabooks.com. And recently, Beta Books (www.betabooks.us) was launched for writers who have not yet published and would like to "pre-publish" their manuscripts as ARC (advanced reading copies) to get informed opinions from careful readers or reviewers before approaching a major publisher, or perhaps just to explore the possibilities of self-publishing.