At last, the passionate pundit and alliterative analyst William Safire has written of his lifelong love affair with Norma Loquendi - common speech. Translated from Latin, Norma Loquendi means "the everyday voice of the native speaker." William Safire has been entranced by plain-spoken language all of his life.

Consumed by his desire for the proper word, Safire bares his soul, explaining why he favors naked aggression over nude aggression. He sensitively probes virile woman, a phrase uttered by cigarette advertisers in search of a new target group. And, taking liberties with Norma, Safire admits he prefers enthuse to emote, excite, or gush, even though he knows enthuse is not yet Standard English.

Readers will experience the rapture of knowing the difference between a bubba (a Southern redneck male) and a buba (an affectionate Yiddish term for a small grandmother). They will be able to distinguish between rich and wealthy ("A rich family has to wait until its money ages before it becomes a wealthy family"). And perhaps most important, they will discover the correct pronunciation of salmon.

A grand amount will attract attention, so it comes as no surprise that Safire's liaisons with Norma are scrutinized by a crowd of grammatical voyeurs known as the Lexicographic Irregulars, including Senator Daniel P. Moynihan, General Colin Powell, and comedian George Carlin, who invented the phrase vuja de ("the eerie sense that you never want to be in this place again").

Words slip in and out of vogue. Meanings change. Grammar can be hard. Only love of the lingo survives. William Safire knows, and he's willing to explain the difference between who and whom to prove it. Norma Loquendi - fickle, mysterious, relentless - will forever earn your tryst.