David K. Barnhart

America in So Many Words presents a unique and fascinating historical view of this country's language. It chronicles, year by year, the contributions we have made to the vocabulary of English and the words we have embraced as the nation has evolved. From canoe (1555) and corn (1608) to newbie (1993) ... (more)and Ebonics (1997), a prominent word for nearly every year in the history of our nation is analyzed and discussed in its historical context. The result is an engaging survey of American linguistic culture through the centuries. The authors—both lifelong students of American English—bring a great depth of understanding to the key words that have made the nation and the language what they are today. —from the publisher's website