Origin of Kibosh
Origin of Kibosh

Author: Gerald Cohen

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2017-10-10

Total Pages: 234

ISBN-13: 1351809903

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This is an etymological study of the origins of the word kibosh, which has long been one of the great mysteries of the English language. Unconvincing derivations have been suggested from Yiddish to Gaelic and Italian, and thus far consensus among lexicographers has leaned toward referencing the word as ‘origin unknown’. In this study, the authors present convincing and important new evidence in favour of the derivation of kibosh from the word for a fearsome Middle Eastern whip, known as the kurbash. This monograph is one of the most significant etymological works directed at a single phrase. It is the gold standard on deep-drill, focused and exhaustive single-word lexicography and will be of interest to lexicographers and linguists in the relevant fields.

Word Origins And How We Know Them
Word Origins And How We Know Them

Author: Anatoly Liberman

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2009-04-13

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 0199889015

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Written in a funny, charming, and conversational style, Word Origins is the first book to offer a thorough investigation of the history and the science of etymology, making this little-known field accessible to everyone interested in the history of words. Anatoly Liberman, an internationally acclaimed etymologist, takes the reader by the hand and explains the many ways that English words can be made, and the many ways in which etymologists try to unearth the origins of words. Every chapter is packed with dozens of examples of proven word histories, used to illustrate the correct ways to trace the origins of words as well as some of the egregiously bad ways to trace them. He not only tells the known origins of hundreds of words, but also shows how their origins were determined. And along the way, the reader is treated to a wealth of fascinating word facts. Did they once have bells in a belfry? No, the original meaning of belfry was siege tower. Are the words isle and island, raven and ravenous, or pan and pantry related etymologically? No, though they look strikingly similar, these words came to English via different routes. Partly a history, partly a how-to, and completely entertaining, Word Origins invites readers behind the scenes to watch an etymologist at work.

How the Irish Invented Slang
How the Irish Invented Slang

Author: Daniel Cassidy

Publisher: AK Press

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781904859604

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Cassidy presents a history of the Irish influence on American slang in a colourful romp through the slums, the gangs of New York and the elaborate scams of grifters and con men, their secret language owing much to the Irish Gaelic imported with many thousands of immigrants. With chapters on How the Irish Invented Poker and How the Irish Invented Jazz, Cassidy stakes a claim for the Irishness of American English. Includes a preface by Peter Quinn and an Irish - American Vernacular Dictionary.

Word by Word
Word by Word

Author: Kory Stamper

Publisher: Vintage

Published: 2018-03-06

Total Pages: 322

ISBN-13: 110197026X

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“We think of English as a fortress to be defended, but a better analogy is to think of English as a child. We love and nurture it into being, and once it gains gross motor skills, it starts going exactly where we don’t want it to go: it heads right for the goddamned electrical sockets.” With wit and irreverence, lexicographer Kory Stamper cracks open the obsessive world of dictionary writing, from the agonizing decisions about what to define and how to do it to the knotty questions of ever-changing word usage. Filled with fun facts—for example, the first documented usage of “OMG” was in a letter to Winston Churchill—and Stamper’s own stories from the linguistic front lines (including how she became America’s foremost “irregardless” apologist, despite loathing the word), Word by Word is an endlessly entertaining look at the wonderful complexities and eccentricities of the English language.

Wordcatcher
Wordcatcher

Author: Phil Cousineau

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2010-03-15

Total Pages: 331

ISBN-13: 1573445509

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Who knew that the great country of Canada is named for a mistake? How about "bedswerver," the best Elizabethan insult to hurl at a cheating boyfriend? By exploring the delightful back stories of the 250 words in Wordcatcher, readers are lured by language and entangled in etymologies. Author Phil Cousineau takes us on a tour into the obscure territory of word origins with great erudition and endearing curiosity. The English poet W. H. Auden was once asked to teach a poetry class, and when 200 students applied to study with him, he only had room for 20 of them. When asked how he chose his students, he said he picked the ones who actually loved words. So too, with this book — it takes a special wordcatcher to create a treasure chest of remarkable words and their origins, and any word lover will relish the stories that Cousineau has discovered.

A Dictionary of Cork Slang
A Dictionary of Cork Slang

Author: Seán Beecher

Publisher:

Published: 1991

Total Pages: 134

ISBN-13:

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This is a collection of those words, not usually found in dictionaries, but which give colour, vigour, and individuality to a language. Each word is explained, examples of usage are given, and their derivations are traced.

Port Out, Starboard Home
Port Out, Starboard Home

Author: Michael Quinion

Publisher:

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 312

ISBN-13:

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What is the true origin of the phrase 'one fell swoop'? Does the word 'honeymoon' really derive from an old Persian custom of giving the happy couple mead, a honey wine, for the first month after the wedding? The rapid growth of the internet and the use of email has increased the circulation of (usually) false tales about the evolution of language. In this entertaining and fascinating new book on the origins of words and expressions, Michael Quinion retells the mythic tales that have become popular currency - the word 'posh' deriving from 'port out, starboard home' - and also tries to find and explain the true stories behind the origins of phrases. Quinion offers explanations of why and how stories about words are created, and how misunderstanding word origins - while usually harmless - can have serious consequences.

The Life of Guy
The Life of Guy

Author: Allan A. Metcalf

Publisher:

Published: 2019

Total Pages: 177

ISBN-13: 0190669209

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"Guy" and "guys" are used so ubiquitously in daily conversation, we scarcely notice them. But both derive from the name of England's greatest terrorist, Guy Fawkes. Acclaimed expert on words Allan Metcalf dives deep into the strange and unprecedented history of America's favorite and most controversial pronoun. Along the way, a cast of characters as interesting as Guy Fawkes himself make an appearance, including kings and queens of England, popes, George Washington, show tunes' crooners, and today's Occupy protesters.

The Last Night in London
The Last Night in London

Author: Karen White

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2021-04-20

Total Pages: 481

ISBN-13: 0451492021

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New York Times bestselling author Karen White weaves a captivating story of friendship, love, and betrayal that moves between war-torn London during the Blitz and the present day. London, 1939. Beautiful and ambitious Eva Harlow and her American best friend, Precious Dubose, are trying to make their way as fashion models. When Eva falls in love with Graham St. John, an aristocrat and Royal Air Force pilot, she can’t believe her luck—she’s getting everything she ever wanted. Then the Blitz devastates her world, and Eva finds herself slipping into a web of intrigue, spies, and secrets. As Eva struggles to protect her friendship with Precious and everything she holds dear, all it takes is one unwary moment to change their lives forever… London, 2019. American journalist Maddie Warner, whose life has been marked by the tragic loss of her mother, travels to London to interview Precious about her life in pre-WWII London. Maddie has been careful to close herself off to others, but in Precious she recognizes someone whose grief rivals her own—but unlike Maddie, Precious hasn’t allowed it to crush her. Maddie finds herself drawn to both Precious and to Colin, her enigmatic surrogate nephew. As Maddie gets closer to her, she begins to unravel Precious’s haunting past—a story of friendship, betrayal, and the unremembered acts of kindness and of love.