From aardvark to zenzizenzizenzic, Word Drops collects a thousand
obscure words and language facts in one fascinating chain of word
associations. Did you know, for example, that scandal derives from
the Latin for “stumbling block” and originally described a trap
for a wild animal? In nineteenth-century slang a wolf trap was a
corrupt casino. Casino means “little house” in Italian.
Roulette means “little wheel” in French. A wheeler is someone
who attends auctions to bid on items merely to increase their sale
price. Such links take readers on an unexpected journey through
linguistic oddities. Inspired by the popular @HaggardHawks Twitter
account, Word Drops also uses an intriguing series of annotations
to add background and historical context on everything from
Anglo-Saxon cures for insanity to Samuel Pepys’s cure for a
hangover. This unique book will delight anyone who loves language,
etymology, and word games.
General
| Imprint: |
University of New Mexico Press
|
| Country of origin: |
United States |
| Release date: |
March 2016 |
| Authors: |
Paul Anthony Jones
|
| Dimensions: |
216 x 140 x 15mm (L x W x T) |
| Format: |
Paperback
|
| Pages: |
216 |
| ISBN-13: |
978-0-8263-5656-7 |
| Categories: |
Books
|
| LSN: |
0-8263-5656-7 |
| Barcode: |
9780826356567 |
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