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The Etymologicon
A Circular Stroll Through the Hidden Connections of the English Language
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Summary
This witty and engaging book explores the hidden histories behind everyday language, revealing unexpected connections from linguistics to history.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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The Etymologicon
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Ideal for readers, writers, literature enthusiasts, and anyone fascinated by the quirks and stories embedded in the English language.
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See moreSpringing from the popular and hilarious Inky Fool blog, Forsyth examines the strange and surprising connections between words and takes readers on a gleeful guided tour through the secret labyrinth that lurks beneath the English language.
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
still learning, it may not be perfect - your
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Description
The Etymologicon is the perfect gift for readers, writers, and literature majors alike, unearthing the quirks of the English language. For example, do you know why a mortgage is literally a “death pledge”? Why guns have girls’ names? Why “salt” is related to “soldier”? Discover the answers to all of these etymological questions and more in this fascinating book for fans of Eats, Shoots & Leaves.
This is a completely unauthorized guide to the strange underpinnings of the English language. It explains how you get from “gruntled” to “disgruntled”; why you are absolutely right to believe that your meagre salary barely covers “money for salt”; how the biggest chain of coffee shops in the world connects to whaling in Nantucket; and what, precisely, the Rolling Stones have to do with gardening.
This witty book will awaken the linguist in you and illuminate the hidden meanings behind common words and phrases, tracing their evolution through all of their surprising paths throughout history.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780425260791
Publisher: Penguin Putnam Inc
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 02 October 2012
Country: United States
Imprint: Penguin USA
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 21.0mm
Width: 128.0mm
Height: 196.0mm
Weight: 238g
Pages: 304
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About the Author
Mark Forsyth is a writer, journalist, proofreader, ghostwriter, and pedant. He was given a copy of the Oxford English Dictionary as a christening present and has never looked back. He is the creator of The Inky Fool, a blog about words, phrases, grammar, rhetoric, and prose.
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