Cursing with Style

A Dicktionary of Expletives

Non-Fiction - Humor/Comedy
236 Pages
Reviewed on 11/30/2022
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Author Biography

Erika M. Weinert is a copy and line editor of fiction who lives in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) and is an active member of the Northwest Editors Guild—a regional, industry-specific association of editors. She mentors fledgling editors through the guild and on her own. When she’s not providing remote editing services to her clients and mentoring, Erika can be found at home with her family. She has a wonderful husband who is thoughtful, sensitive, and a great father to their daughter, whom they brought into the world the same year they were married—2008. Their daughter is a typical teen, but she’s also selfless, empathetic, and more self-aware than her mother was at that age. Erika treasures her family—including their two cats—and her career above all else.

    Book Review

Reviewed by Jamie Michele for Readers' Favorite

Cursing with Style: A Dicktionary of Expletives by Erika M. Weinert is a resource with a satirical but factual presentation that sets out to define what many would think defies definition -- swear words. However, referring to them as swear words is an oversimplification of what the book is about. Weinert is not only inclusive of slang but also, more specifically, the lexicon of dialect that gives birth to expletives that some may not be aware of, either due to generational or regional divides. The e-book has an index for quick reference, and in both digital and paperback formats, the words are listed in alphabetical order, and each is provided with a part of speech, a definition, and remarks from the author.

I am a little surprised to say that Cursing with Style is a really good and concise reference. At the outset, I wasn't entirely clear as to what Erika M. Weinert could teach me, but as it turns out, she has quite a lot to offer. The words run the gamut from the traditional four-letter variety we could never use in respectable company to those that people “of a certain age” would be blind-sided by. To clarify, I am of a certain age. My favorite among the less caustic would be 'douche canoe'; although the only word in the Q section, 'quief', definitely gave it a run for its money. No matter how savvy one might think they are in the world of cursing, Weinert allows us to all improve. This is a quirky and amusing collection of potty-mouth words that is as informative as it is eyebrow-raising.

Renee Guill

Cursing with Style: A Dicktionary of Expletives by Erika M. Weinert is a reference book for editors. She shows both how you spell the words and provides some background as to their origins. Weinert classifies the words as nouns or verbs as any dictionary would. She gives examples of the correct use of the word in a sentence as well. She adds writing tips and explains why she is qualified to write this book. It's a useful tool to use if you aren't sure if a particular swear word is appropriate.

I thought that Cursing with Style by Erika M. Weinert was abso-f###ing-lutely brilliant and hilarious. Who knew that you had to worry about grammar while using swear words? Warning: there are swear words, so if they offend you, you probably shouldn't read this book. I usually don't mention the cover, but this one was eye-catching and cute. I loved the way she spelled dicktionary, which was clever and funny. I liked how Erika M. Weinert used personal details in her examples. I think my favorite word on the list is quief. I was quite impressed with how many curse words she lists. I thought I knew them all, but I discovered a couple that I had never heard of before. If you ever wondered if you could use swear words in your book, this is a definite must-read. She even gave great writing tips, like 'know your character', which seems obvious, but I got an aha moment from that. This book is great for editors, authors, or if you just need a humorous book to read.

Vincent Dublado

There are two types of people in the world: Those who don’t like to swear, like George Washington, and then there are the rest of us. If you belong to the rest of us, then "Cursing with Style: A Dicktionary of Expletives" by Erika M. Weinert has something in store for you. The first question that will probably pop up in your head is, why create a dictionary about expletives? As an editor of fiction, the author knows what she’s talking about. In her introduction, she stresses that consistency is a crucial element in the writing and editing process, but new writers may not be aware of this. Therefore, she provides an indispensable guide when it comes to using curse words and their variations in your manuscript. As a perfect example, the F-word has spawned many variations for its flexibility and is used in different contexts. This book saves you the trouble of looking up each and every meaning for those accursed words.

Praise for Erika M. Weinert’s "Cursing with Style," the go-to guide for everything linguistically explicit. At 234 pages, however, it is not an all-inclusive resource. But as you peruse the list, you’ll find that the most commonly used expletives are covered and include parts of speech, along with a little remark or trivia on the word's history. This dictionary contains enough curse words to merit an R rating, but an in-depth study of profanity reveals that it is also a reflection not only of self-expression and personality but of culture as well. This is another good reason to grab a copy of this reference book. It is not limited to helping maintain consistency in using vulgarity in your fiction. In an oral sense, it does help you curse with style when you know what you are saying. This is highly recommended for anyone who finds swearing a natural emotive reaction both in real life and in their works of fiction or even nonfiction.