Chapter 4.1 Summary

The author devotes this chapter to taxonomy, showing two lists - terms in everyday use in English and those in American.

Chapter 4.1 Analysis

The lists of American and English are interesting for language students and others. Each list shows the similarities due to coinage and borrowing, and shows how in each case the American term stays close to or departs from the English form of the word/phrase. By studying such characteristics in comparison and in contrast, the student may better understand the speakers of each term. For instance, the English use the word dust-bin, while the Americans use the word ash-can. Readers might infer that dust is more prevalent than ashes in England and Europe, that ashes are more abundant in America, or that cleaning requires using the appropriate receptacle...a dust bin for the dirt, dust, and like, and an ash...