Lanham's anti-text

I haven't quite decided whether or not I actually like this book. I enjoyed much of it, but it was also tough reading. My favorite chapter was The Delights of Jargon. There were plenty of excerpts from other works, both literary and as simple as an office memo, that showed how the use of language can affect (or not affect) the reader. Lanham quotes Northrop Frye who says, "Literary education should lead not merely to the admiration of great literature, but to some possession of its power of utterance." It seems that Lanham would like to see English student speak with more tact and rhythm (learned from the great texts they study) that students of math or science. I've started to notice more when people use "like" or "you know" excessively. I'm guilty of it myself sometimes. I won't name any names, but I do it in class sometimes when someone is talking. I count the "likes." No one is that bad about it.

While Lanham bashes some for their "mumblespeak," he also seems to revel in interpreting it. As a man who obviously enjoys the literary arts, why wouldn't he. He notes that America is the king of jargon, which makes sense given the diversity of the country. Language is only getting older and the only logical progression is the advent of new words.

I think this book is worth assigning in composition classes. It can be tiring to read, but the payoff is usually pretty good and I will definitely remember some of the concepts presented by Lanham and the authors he quotes.