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Do's and Taboos of Using English Around the World
by Roger E. Axtell
from Wiley
Customer Reviews:
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Avg. Customer Rating: 2.5 / 5.0 
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A 19th Century Approach to a 21st Century Problem 
This book has little value except as a very elementary introduction to intercultural encounter. As the cover illustration suggests, Axtell points out some of the large number idioms that flavor the speech (and writing) of Americans. For someone who has never tried to bridge a cultural gap, such awareness is an important first step. For everyone else, the book is only a light read, good for stretches of an international flight when the movie isn't interesting and you can't fall asleep. The entire third... more info
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A handy reference for language teachers 
Do's and Taboos of Using English Around the World is primarily written with the international business traveler in mind, but it is also useful for teachers and students of English as a foreign language. Indeed, the book is written in such a simple and entertaining style as to make it appealing to just about anyone remotely interested in language or travel. It is divided into three sections. The first part deals with the idiosyncrasies of American English, the second part with English varieties around the... more info
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Not as useful as the title suggests.
Axtell's capsule treatments of various cultures are too superficial for all but the most oblivious travelers. In his attempt to include a multitude of countries and customs, nothing gets decent coverage. Though it's doubtful anyone would expect a book about using English to serve as a foreign-language phrasebook, the brief appendix tries to do just that, contributing to the book's scattershot feel.The Church Lady seems to have ghostwritten five pages of Chapter 5, where we are informed of the Canadians'... more info
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