General reference

     [This is a fast-access FAQ excerpt.]
The Oxford Companion to the English Language (ed. Tom McArthur,
Oxford University Press, 1992, ISBN 0-19-214183-X) is an
encyclopaedia with a wealth of information on various dialects, on
lexicography, and almost everything else except individual words
and expressions.  Success With Words (Reader's Digest, 1983, ISBN
0-88850-117-X) is especially suitable for beginners.
     [For reviews of other English Language books, see Michael 
     Quinion's World Wide Words site.]