Dictionary of Fine Distinctions

这不是一本教你查词的词典，而是一场为「较真的人」量身定制的语言游戏。作者挑选的几乎都是日常不会用、却莫名让人耿耿于怀的词条：毒蘑菇与毒蛇的区别、堂表亲的N代隔代究竟怎么算、porch、deck、veranda、patio四者如何区分。它不追求实用，反而以「无用但有趣」自居，满足的是那种「终于能说清微妙差别」的爽感。读者最津津乐道的，正是这种由词及物、窥见生活无限细腻层次的视角——搞懂一个词，仿佛给世界的模糊影像对了一次焦。不过也要坦白：选词偏冷门、篇幅偏薄、部分词条缺乏背景知识不易理解。它适合语言爱好者当作速读小册子闲翻，若指望学以致用，或许会略感失望。

Eli Burnstein is a humor writer whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, Slackjaw, Weekly Humorist, The Offing, and Points in Case. He runs a spelling bee (Spelling Bae) that has been featured in the Toronto Star and the National Post, and on CBC Radio.