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Author: Reader's Digest Association, Limited
Publisher: Reader's Digest Association
Published: 2008-02-01
Total Pages: 382
ISBN-13: 9780276442445
DOWNLOAD EBOOKReveals the secrets, scandals and surprises behind the words used every day. This book includes the stories and the personalities that have helped shape the English language from William Shakespeare and Lord Byron, to Rudyard Kipling and Salmon Rushdie.
Author: Jordan Almond
Publisher: Citadel Press
Published: 1995
Total Pages: 292
ISBN-13: 9780806517131
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThis dictionary gives the intriguing origins of hundreds of everyday words and expressions. Useful for reference and fun just for browsing, Dictionary of Word Origins is also a great way to expand vocabulary and enjoy doing it.
Author: Anatoly Liberman
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: 2009-04-13
Total Pages: 336
ISBN-13: 0199889015
DOWNLOAD EBOOKWritten 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.
Author: Julia Cresswell
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Published: 2010-09-09
Total Pages: 514
ISBN-13: 0199547939
DOWNLOAD EBOOKContains alphabetically arranged entries that explore the origin, evolution, and social history of over three thousand English language words.
Author: Robert Hendrickson
Publisher: Facts on File
Published: 2000
Total Pages: 754
ISBN-13: 9780816040889
DOWNLOAD EBOOKExplains the origins of thousands of words, proverbs, idioms, foreign language expressions, animal and plant names, and nicknames.
Author: William Morris
Publisher: Harper Collins
Published: 1988-05-17
Total Pages: 516
ISBN-13: 006015862X
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThe Morrises, well-known lexicographers, published a dictionary of the same title in 1977, a revision of a three-volume work published between 1962 and 1971. This new revision, which provides histories of interesting words and phrases in the English language, is similar in concept to several books by John Ciardi. Like Ciardi's works, the etymologies and phrase origins are presented in a readable style, making them a joy to browse.
Author: Neil Ewart
Publisher:
Published: 1983
Total Pages: 162
ISBN-13: 9780713713541
DOWNLOAD EBOOKExplains the meaning and implication of 400 phrases commonly used throughout the English-speaking world, such as: eager beaver and sour grapes.
Author: Trench H. Johnson
Publisher: Good Press
Published: 2019-11-22
Total Pages: 215
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOK'Phrases and Names, Their Origins and Meanings' is a one-of-a-kind encyclopedic work that offers plain statements of facts on the origins of popular phrases and names, alphabetically organized for easy reference. Trench H. Johnson's expertise in the subject matter, acquired through years of omnivorous reading and patient inquiry, has culminated in a comprehensive and fascinating compilation of linguistic curiosities that is sure to satisfy the curiosity of any word lover. From the history of place-names to the evolution of expressions, including a plethora of slang terms and Americanisms, this book offers a wealth of knowledge that opens up the history of peoples and civilizing influences.
Author: Robert Hendrickson
Publisher: Infobase Publishing
Published: 2000-10-30
Total Pages: 800
ISBN-13: 1438129920
DOWNLOAD EBOOKProvides definitions and examples of words and phrases used in different geographical regions of the United States.
Author: Mark Abley
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 2018-10-30
Total Pages: 272
ISBN-13: 1501172298
DOWNLOAD EBOOKPhrases, idioms, and clichés—why do we say the things we say? Watch Your Tongue explores weird and wonderful everyday sayings and what they reveal about us. Do you ever wonder why you shouldn’t have a cow but you should seize a bull by its horns? Who has the better reputation in language—cats or dogs? Do you sometimes feel that our speech is all smoke and mirrors or that our expressions simply make no sense? In Watch Your Tongue, award-winning author Mark Abley explores the phrases, idioms, and clichés of our everyday language. With wit and subtle wisdom, he unravels the mysteries of these expressions, illuminating the history, tradition and stories behind everything we say. Pulling examples from Shakespeare’s plays to sports team names, ancient Rome to Twitter, Abley shares samples and anecdotes of the eccentric ways that we play with, parse, and pattern language. Why do so many companies use fruit for their brand names? What do politicians mean when they say they’re going to “drain the swamp”? Why does English use chickens to signify cowardice? Abley dives into the history and psychology behind these examples and countless others, unpacking their significance (and sheer absurdity) to show how our language developed, where it is headed, and what we can learn about ourselves from it. Whimsically illustrated, easily browsable, and full of catchy sidebars, Watch Your Tongue celebrates how we amuse ourselves with words and what our sayings reveal about the way we see the world.
