That’s Not English
By Erin Moore
GOTHAM BOOKS
In Erin Moore’s book on the distinctions between American and British English, each chapter zeros in on a single word, examining definitions and offering historical context for the divergences. For example, we view “middle class” through a prism of income, while for the Brits it’s a state of mind—a difference she attributes to a relative lack of social mobility in the UK. While some chapters are trivial, Moore’s unvarnished enthusiasm for the language makes for an enjoyable read.