ZOUNDS!: A Browser's Dictionary of Interjections

by Mark Dunn, Sergio Aragonés

From Geronimo! to gesundheit to haminahamina to holy mackerel , and from abracadabra to zoinks , Mark Dunn and Sergio Aragonés show you interjections like you've never seen them before.

Often thought of as unnecessary verbal fringe or simply linguistic decoration, interjections ( ahem , howdy , mamma mia , pshaw , tally-ho , whoop-de-do ) may well be the most overlooked part of speech in the English language. ZOUNDS! A Browser's Dictionary of Interjections focuses the spotlight on this most deserving (and sometimes most demented) grammatical group. A light-hearted look at more than 500 interjections, ZOUNDS! explores the origins of these essential words and highlights the contributions of these previously unheralded parts of speech.

Perfect for both word lovers and the casual reader, ZOUNDS! brings together the linguistic talents of Mark Dunn, author of the award-winning novel Ella Minnow Pea , and the graphic hilarity of Sergio Aragonés, the legendary cartoonist and contributor to Mad Magazine, for a delightful romp through grammar, culture, and the English language.

Famous interjections

"Eureka!"
-Archimedes

"Badabing-badaboom"
-Tony Soprano

"Stuff and nonsense!"
-Alice, Alice in Wonderland

"Bah! Humbug!"
-Scrooge

"Fiddle-dee-dee !"
-Scarlett O'Hara

"Leapin' lizards!"
-Little Orphan Annie

"Nanoo, nanoo"
-Mork, from "Mork & Mindy"

"Dyn-O-Mite!"
-Jimmie Walker, "Good Times"

"Bully!"
-President Theodore Roosevelt

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Language, Writing, Dictionaries, Linguistics

240 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2005

About the author

Mark Dunn is the author of several books and more than thirty full-length plays, a dozen of which have been published in acting edition.

Mark has received over 200 productions of his work for the stage throughout the world, with translations of his plays into French, Italian, Dutch and Hungarian. His play North Fork (later retitled Cabin Fever: A Texas Tragicomedy when it was picked up for publication by Samuel French) premiered at the New Jersey Repertory Company (NJRC) in 1999 and has since gone on to receive numerous productions throughout the U.S.

Mark is co-author with NJRC composer-in-residence Merek Royce Press of Octet: A Concert Play, which received its world premiere at NJRC in 2000. Two of his plays, Helen’s Most Favorite Day and Dix Tableaux, have gone on to publication and national licensing by Samuel French. His novels include the award-winning Ella Minnow Pea, Welcome to Higby, Ibid, the children’s novel The Calamitous Adventures of Rodney and Wayne, Under the Harrow and Feral Park.

Mark teaches creative writing and leads playwriting seminars around the country, in addition to serving as Vice President of the non-profit PULA (People United for Libraries in Africa), which he founded with his wife, Mary, in 2002.

(modified bio courtesy of http://njrep.org/playwrights.htm)

Reviews

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

a fun dictionary/history of many the interjections we use ever day.

[T. · Rating 3 out of 5]

yum-yum (also yum and yummy): Our mothers taught us not to talk with our mouths full, but this word is often delivered from a mouth filled with half-masticated morsels.

As for Mrs. Lovett's meatpies---
Mrs. Lovett: "It's perfect! It's gorgeous!"
Customers: "Yum! Yum! Yum! Yum!"

Yum-yum goes this book, and although not perfect, I have devoured quite quickly.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mark Dunn is one of my "hidden gem" authors (another is Marisha Pessl), a writer I absolutely adore but who isn't extremely well-known. His Ella Minnow Pea, Ibid, and Under the Harrow are gimmick masterpieces. Even though Zounds! is literally just a listing of interjections and their definitions, Dunn's trademark humor comes through, making dictionary reading thoroughly enjoyable!

[Jeanine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining look at a much used but often overlooked part of language— interjections! Reading this quirky book returned me to various memories from my childhood. Schoolhouse Rock Interjections, “Suffering Succotash “, Cool, and Yikes!
Mark Dunn who wrote one of my favorite linguistic challenge novels Ella Minnow Pea, carefully researched this book of a small smattering of the interjections used in the English language, mostly on the western side of the pond. Throughout he alludes to the possibility of a second book of interjections; which I hope he delivers in the very near future.
Encoré! Bravo!
Awesomeness!
Read on!

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just okay. I learned a few interesting things I didn't know. I wish it had concentrated more on the historical/regionally-specific interjections and less on the ones that are more common.

[Ravi Sinha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm all for colorful language and this is a great compendium of many many interjections with their corresponding tiny histories. Nothing to dislike here.

[Havilah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping this book would help educate me in the ways of interjections. You see, my husband is a master of interjections. The only thing I learned from this book was that my husband's interjections are either totally made-up or totally not appropriate for the average person. His interjections were not in this book. I did enjoy reading it though. There were a lot of fun facts about the historical beginnings of many interjections I have grown to know and love. This would make a great coffee table book. Don't expect to pick it up and read it strait through--it's more in the style of a dictionary. Have fun!

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a bit of a disappointment. The thing I love about Mark Dunn though, as that his ideas are always so original even if the final product doesn't quite live up to it (e.g. Ibid). Zounds is a bit like that - intermittently hilarious but uneven. I still think the man is a genius and Ella Minnow Pea is one of the finest books ever. Also very fond of Welcome to Higby.

[Thomas Clardy · Rating 5 out of 5]

It has humor, but I see this more as a reference book. When writing, I get stuck using the same words over and over...especially interjections This book helps to increase the variety of interjections you use; it's like buying a new recipe book, it makes you want to widen your tastes.

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun book for anyone that enjoys words. My favorite explanation: "Doh!" (coined by Homer Simpson)Dunn explains that the word "doh" never actually appears in the script.

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

great find at the Good Will today!

[Trey Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great to pick up when you get a minute or two. Fun to learn and read. Great illustrations by Sergio Aragones as well.