Origin Uncertain
Origin Uncertain

Author: Anatoly Liberman

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2024

Total Pages: 345

ISBN-13: 0197664911

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Lost origins of words revealed. We like to recount that goodbye started out as "god be with you," that whiskey comes from the Gaelic for "water of life," or that avocado originated as the Aztec word for "testicle." But there are many words with origins unknown, disputed, or so buried in old journals that they may as well be lost to the general public. In Origin Uncertain: Unraveling the Mysteries of Etymology, eminent etymologist Anatoly Liberman draws on his professional expertise and etymological database to tell the stories of less understood words such as nerd, fake, ain't, hitchhike, trash, curmudgeon, and quiz, as well as puzzling idioms like kick the bucket and pay through the nose. By casting a net so broadly, the book addresses language history, language usage (including grammar), history (both ancient and modern), religion, superstitions, and material culture. Writing in the spirit of adventure through the annals of word origins, Liberman also shows how historical linguists construct etymologies, how to evaluate competing explanations, and how to pursue further research.

Evidence of Uncertain Origin
Evidence of Uncertain Origin

Author: Nikki Everts

Publisher:

Published: 2020-09-20

Total Pages: 282

ISBN-13: 9781777178314

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Accident? Suicide? Murder? Montreal in 1969. The glory days of Expo 67 are fading and a home-grown separatist movement, the FLQ, is ramping up its terrorist activities. An old veteran dies; an accident, say the police, but his granddaughters Kit and Sondra disagree. Beginning their own investigations, they stir up danger, intrigue, and for Kit, the possibility of love, as they strive to unravel the mystery of their grandfather's death.

Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Author: Martin H. Manser

Publisher: Wordsworth Editions

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 868

ISBN-13: 9781853267635

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This work of fiction is a tale of pirates and villains, maps, treasure and shipwreck. When young Jim Hawkins finds a package in Captain Flint's sea chest, he could not know that the map inside it would lead him to unimaginable treasure. Mutiny and mayhem ensue.

Historic Rings
Historic Rings

Author: Diana Scarisbrick

Publisher: Kodansha International

Published: 2004-09-24

Total Pages: 378

ISBN-13: 9784770025401

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Each ring is illustrated with one or more black and white photograph, with 500 superb colour photos of the most important pieces. Major trends in ring design are outlined, and explanations and anecdotes are given on many of the individual rings. Supplementary images provide additional visual reference for the historical context. This deluxe book introduces the finest, most exhaustive private collection of finger rings in the world: the Hashimoto Collection. Organised chronologically by culture, it begins with the Ancient Mediterranean World, and progresses

Beat about the Bush
Beat about the Bush

Author: Trevor Carnaby

Publisher: Jacana Media

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 378

ISBN-13: 1770092404

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Filling the gap between basic mammal guides and extensive academic texts, this resource answers everyday questions about mammals in an understandable fashion that will appeal to tourists, bush enthusiasts, and field guides. Addressing everything from how an elephant's trunk works to why the blue whale is not a fish, this question-and-answer guide includes more than 700 color photographs and a detailed section on tracks and signs, making it a must-have for anyone wanting to know about the mammals of the bush region.

Out of Shadows
Out of Shadows

Author: Jason Wallace

Publisher: Holiday House

Published: 2012-05-15

Total Pages: 282

ISBN-13: 0823426904

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Twelve-year-old Robert Jacklin comes face-to-face with bigotry, racism, and brutality when he is uprooted from England and moves to Zimbabwe with his family. Robert is enrolled in one of the country's most elite boys' boarding schools. Newly integrated, the school is a microcosm of the horrible problems faced by the struggling new country in the wake of a bloody civil war. The white boys want their old country back and torment the black Africans. Robert must make careful alliances. His decision to join the ranks of the more powerful white boys has a devastating effect on his conscience and emerging manhood.