Book Review: “Dictionary of Fine Distinctions,” by Eli Burnstein

by Andi Benjamin

In editorial work, small details have an outsized impact on the final product. This is one reason why editors need to be exceptionally meticulous – to avoid the pitfalls of using the wrong word and then inadvertently changing the meaning of the text. Eli Burnstein is a Canadian humour writer who is based in the United Kingdom. In his debut book, Dictionary of Fine Distinctions: Nuances, Niceties, and Subtle Shades of Meaning, he shows readers that little things can, indeed, make a big difference.

How I came across the book

Dictionary of Fine Distinctions is a reference book of about a hundred examples of closely related terms and concepts. It includes clever illustrations by the talented cartoonist Liana Finck, known for her popular contributions to The New Yorker. Throughout the book, Burnstein carefully distinguishes between each term and concept. I discovered the book back in May 2024, while listening to an episode of the Grammar Girl podcast in which the host, Mignon Fogarty, interviewed the author. I am a long-time fan of Grammar Girl herself and have found her books, podcast, and online content to be both informative and entertaining. Intrigued by their conversation and satisfied with Grammar Girl’s endorsement, I picked up the book. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and learned a lot. Mostly, I learned how much I didn’t know about the English language!

For instance, I learned that I didn’t know the difference between an emoji and an emoticon. (Emojis are graphics; emoticons use type.) Or an umlaut and a dieresis. (Umlauts give vowels a more e-like pronunciation; whereas diereses indicate that a new syllable has begun.) Or a gondola and a funicular. (Both use cables to move people uphill. However, gondolas dangle from cables, while funiculars go up and down tracks.)

How the book may help editors

Dictionary of Fine Distinctions may be a useful tool for editors, helping them in the following ways:

1) A brain break. Most of us can relate to the experience of staring at a document for so long that our eyes start to tire, and our thoughts become fuzzy. When that happens, I highly recommend turning to Burnstein’s book. With its lighthearted tone and charming graphics, it can be an effective antidote to feelings of tedium or frustration, giving your brain the much-needed break it craves.

2) Small talk. The book also provides excellent fodder for small talk at social gatherings. The next time you find yourself talking to someone new and you sense a lull in the conversation, consider explaining the difference between lager (looks clear and tastes crisp) and ale (looks hazy and tastes rich). Alternatively, if you’re hoping to end the interaction, perhaps tell them how a crypt (houses the dead in vaulted chambers under churches) differs from a catacomb (houses the dead in extensive networks under cities).

3) Key distinctions in editing. Some of the specific distinctions that Burnstein highlights might be especially pertinent to editors, depending on their area of focus. For example, a legal editor might be interested in the book’s explanation of civil law (based on statutes written by lawmakers) versus common law (based on precedents set in court). A cookbook editor might want to know what properties make a crumble distinct from a crisp. (A crumble is a baked fruit dish topped with a mixture of flour, butter, and sugar, while a crisp is a baked fruit dish topped with a mixture of flour, butter, sugar, and oats.) And a general editor might like a refresher on grammar (rules that make up a language and govern its use) versus syntax (rules that govern sentences in particular).

Some final thoughts

In Burnstein’s “Introduction, Foreword, or Preface,” he writes: “As you flip through the book, my hope is that you’ll walk away . . . with a deeper appreciation for the inexhaustible subtlety of life – for the infinite and infinitesimal nuances that turn up everywhere we look.” He then includes a stanza from “Snow,” a poem by the British poet and playwright Louis MacNeice:

World is crazier and more of it than we think,

Incorrigibly plural. I peel and portion

A tangerine and spit the pips and feel

The drunkenness of things being various.

This poignant quote is a reminder that the world is a complex and fascinating place – more than we realize. And the small distinctions that seem mundane or arbitrary to the untrained eye make life endlessly interesting. As the wise Winnie the Pooh said, “Sometimes, the smallest things take up the most space in your heart.”* This rang true to me as I was reading Burnstein’s book. For those with a fondness for the intricacies of the English language, and maybe a slight penchant for hairsplitting, Dictionary of Fine Distinctions is sure to delight.

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*Pooh’s quote is an aphorism. Aphorisms are philosophical. Epigrams are witty remarks. Maxims are rules of conduct. Adages are old and well-known sayings. Proverbs are folk/traditional truths. 

Note: While this article relies on the Canadian Oxford Dictionary (CanOx), 2nd edition, for spelling, in certain instances, the author defers to Burnstein’s spelling of terms in Dictionary of Fine Distinctions.

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Andi Benjamin, MA, JD, is a legal editor and proofreader, based in Toronto. She is the owner of AB Edits.

This article was copy edited by Jennifer D. Foster, a Toronto-based freelance editor, writer, and mentor. Her company is Planet Word.