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'As entertaining as it is engrossing' John Banville 'Enlightening,
delightful' Arthur der Weduwen, author of The Library Why
don’t eleven and twelve end in –teen?
The rest of our counting system sits in neatly arithmetical sets of
ten, so why do these two rulebreakers seem so at odds with the
numbers that follow them? Admittedly, that’s probably a question
that might never have occurred to you. But if you’re even
remotely interested in the origins and oddities of language, it’s
likely also a question you’re now intrigued to know the answer
to. Nor is it the only question: take a moment to think about
how our language operates and even more spring mind. Why do these
letters look the way they do? Why are some uppercase and others
lowercase? Why are these words in this order? How are you
understanding what these seemingly arbitrary shapes and symbols
mean, while doubtless hearing them read to you in a voice inside
your head? And what is this question mark really doing at this end
of this sentence? Books explaining the origins of our most
intriguing words and phrases have long proved popular, but they
often overlook the true nuts and bolts of language: the origins of
our alphabet and writing system; grammatical rules and conventions;
the sound structure of language; and even how our brains and bodies
interpret and communicate language itself. Why Is This a
Question? is a fascinating and enlightening exploration of
linguistic questions you’ve likely never thought to ask. ‘Every
page will make you stop, think and wonder.’ James Hawes, author
of The Shortest History of England ‘Enthralling, with a riveting
“who knew?” moment on nearly every page.’ Caroline Taggart,
author of Humble Pie and Cold Turkey
How well do you know your words?; Buxom used to mean obedient; A
cloud was a rock; Raunchy originally meant dirty; Brimming with
hidden histories and tantalising twists, The Accidental Dictionary
tells the extraordinary stories behind ordinary words.; Our
everyday language is full of surprises; its origins are stranger
than you might think. Any word might be knocked and buffeted,
subjected to twists and turns, expansions and contractions, happy
and unhappy accidents. There are intriguing tales behind even the
most familiar terms, and they can say as much about the present as
they do the past.; Busking, for instance, originally meant piracy.
Grin meant to snarl. A bimbo was a man, nice meant ignorant,
glamour was magic and a cupboard was a table...; Focusing on 100
surprising threads in the evolution of English, The Accidental
Dictionary reveals the etymological origins and quirky developments
that have led to the meanings we take for granted today. It is a
weird and wonderful journey into words.; So, let's revel in its
randomness and delight in its diversity - our dictionary is indeed
accidental.
The ultimate gift for wordsmiths and lovers of language: a word for
every day of the year; Open the Cabinet to leap back in time, learn
about linguistic trivia, follow a curious thread or wonder at the
web of connections in the English language.; 1 January quaaltagh
(n.) the first person you meet on New Year's Day; 1 April
dorbellist (n.) a fool, a dull-witted dolt; 12 May word-grubber
(n.) someone who uses obscure or difficult words in everyday
conversation; 25 September theic (adj.) an excessive drinker of
tea; 24 December doniferous (adj.) carrying a gift; Paul Anthony
Jones has unearthed a wealth of strange and forgotten words:
illuminating some aspect of the day, or simply telling a cracking
good yarn, each reveals a story. Written with a light touch that
belies the depth of research it contains, this is both a
fascinating compendium of etymology and a captivating historical
miscellany. Dip into this beautiful book to be delighted and
intrigued throughout the year.
'As entertaining as it is engrossing' John Banville 'Enlightening,
delightful' Arthur der Weduwen, author of The Library Why don't
eleven and twelve end in -teen? The rest of our counting system
sits in neatly arithmetical sets of ten, so why do these two
rulebreakers seem so at odds with the numbers that follow them?
Admittedly, that's probably a question that might never have
occurred to you. But if you're even remotely interested in the
origins and oddities of language, it's likely also a question
you're now intrigued to know the answer to. Nor is it the only
question: take a moment to think about how our language operates
and even more spring mind. Why do these letters look the way they
do? Why are some uppercase and others lowercase? Why are these
words in this order? How are you understanding what these seemingly
arbitrary shapes and symbols mean, while doubtless hearing them
read to you in a voice inside your head? And what is this question
mark really doing at this end of this sentence? Books explaining
the origins of our most intriguing words and phrases have long
proved popular, but they often overlook the true nuts and bolts of
language: the origins of our alphabet and writing system;
grammatical rules and conventions; the sound structure of language;
and even how our brains and bodies interpret and communicate
language itself. Why Is This a Question? is a fascinating and
enlightening exploration of linguistic questions you've likely
never thought to ask. 'Every page will make you stop, think and
wonder.' James Hawes, author of The Shortest History of England
'Enthralling, with a riveting "who knew?" moment on nearly every
page.' Caroline Taggart, author of Humble Pie and Cold Turkey
If you're logofascinated, you are literally spellbound by
language.; This surprising compendium of 1,000 facts about words,
language and etymology is here to inspire your curiosity and
delight in discovery. In Word Drops, you can delve into a
smattering of unexpected connections and weird juxtapositions,
stumble upon a new or remarkable word, or learn of many a bizarre
etymological quirk or tall tale.; - Did you know that the bowl made
by cupping your hands together is called a gowpen?; - And speaking
of bowls, the earliest known reference to bowling in English dates
from 1555, when bowling alleys were banned by an Act of
Parliament.; - And that ties in nicely with the fact that the
English called the Germans 'Alleymen' during the First World War.;
- But in Navajo, Germany is called Beesh Bich'ahii Bikeyah-or
'metal cap-wearer land'.; Word Drops is a language fact book unlike
any other, its linguistic tidbits all falling together into one
long interconnected chain just like the example above with each
fact neatly 'dropping' into place beside the next.; What's more,
throughout, footnotes are used to give some informative and
intriguing background to some of the most bizarre facts, covering
everything from traditional Inuit games to the origin of the
Bellini cocktail, from the precise length of one 'jiffy' to what
the Romans thought hoopoe birds ate, and from what to expect on a
night out with Dr Johnson to Samuel Pepys's cure for a hangover.
Want to know the longest palindrome in Morse code, or who The Great
Masticator was? Curious to know what Norwegian steam is, or what a
jaaaar is? The answers are all here.; For all of the logofascinated
among us, this is an immensely pleasurable and unpredictable
collection that is guaranteed to raise eyebrows (the literal
meaning, incidentally, of supercilious).
From Monte Carlo to Shanghai, Bikini to Samarra, Around the World
in 80 Words is a whimsical voyage through the far-flung reaches of
the English language.; What makes a place so memorable that it
survives for ever in a word? In this captivating round-the-world
jaunt, Paul Anthony Jones reveals the intriguing stories of how 80
different places came to be immortalised in our language.;
Beginning in London and heading through Europe, Africa, Asia,
Australia and the Americas, you'll discover why the origins of
turkeys, Brazil nuts, limericks and Panama hats aren't quite as
straightforward as you might presume. You'll also find out what the
Philippines have given to your office in-tray; what an island with
more bears than people has given to your liquor cabinet; and how a
tiny hamlet in Nottinghamshire became Gotham City.; Surprising and
consistently entertaining, this is essential reading for armchair
travellers and word nerds. Our dictionaries are full of hidden
histories, tales and adventures from all over the world - if you
know where to look.
Open The Cabinet of Linguistic Curiosities and you'll find both a
word and a day to remember, every day of the year. Each day has its
own dedicated entry, on which a curious or notable event--and an
equally curious or notable word--are explored. On the day on which
flirting was banned in New York City, for instance, you'll discover
why to "sheep's-eye" someone once meant to look at them amorously.
On the day on which a disillusioned San Franciscan declared himself
Emperor of the United States, you'll find the word "mamamouchi," a
term for people who consider themselves more important than they
truly are. And on the day on which George Frideric Handel completed
his 259-page Messiah after twenty-four days of frenzied work,
you'll see why a French loanword, literally meaning "a small wooden
barrow," is used to refer to an intense period of work undertaken
to meet a deadline. The English language is vast enough to supply
us with a word for every occasion--and this linguistic
"wunderkammer" is here to prove precisely that. So whatever date
this book has found its way into your hands, there's an entire
year's worth of linguistic curiosities waiting to be found.
'It's fantastic ... Exactly the book that everybody needs...' Simon
Mayo _____ Sometimes we all need a little reminder that it's going
to be okay... Open The Cabinet of Calm to discover a comforting
word that's equal to your troubles. The Cabinet of Calm has been
designed to be picked up whenever you need a moment of serenity.
Just select the emotion listed that reflects whatever you're
feeling and you'll be offered a matching linguistic remedy:
fifty-one soothing words for troubled times. These kind words -
alongside their definitions and their stories - will bring peace,
comfort and delight, and provide fresh hope. Written with a
lightness of touch, The Cabinet of Calm shows us that we're not
alone. Like language, our emotions are universal: someone else has
felt like this before and so there's a word to help, whatever the
challenge. So much more than a book of words, The Cabinet of Calm
will soothe your soul and ease your mind. It's the perfect gift.
_____ From inside The Cabinet Of Calm... 'RESPAIR': a word for a
renewed or reinvigorated hope, or a recovery from anguish or
hopelessness. 'WORLDCRAFT': a collective term for the unique
skills, wisdom and experience that an older person has amassed in
their lifetime. 'MELIORISM': the belief that all things, no matter
how bad, can always be improved - given enough determination from
people willing to improve them. 'SYMMACHY': the act of joining or
working together to produce a stronger force than could ever be
managed individually - especially in order to overcome something
that affects us all.
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.
Sometimes we all need a little reminder that it's going to be
okay... Open The Cabinet of Calm to discover a comforting word
that's equal to your troubles.; The Cabinet of Calm has been
designed to be picked up whenever you need a moment of serenity.
Just select the emotion listed that reflects whatever you're
feeling and you'll be offered a matching linguistic remedy:
fifty-one soothing words for troubled times.; From 'melorism' to
'stound', 'carpe noctem' to 'opsimathy', these kind words -
alongside their definitions and their stories - will bring peace,
comfort and delight, and provide fresh hope.; Written with a
lightness of touch, The Cabinet of Calm shows us that we're not
alone. Like language, our emotions are universal: someone else has
felt like this before and so there's a word to help, whatever the
challenge.; So much more than a book of words, The Cabinet of Calm
will soothe your soul and ease your mind. It's the perfect gift.
What makes a place so memorable that it survives forever in a word?
In this captivating round-the-world tour, Paul Anthony Jones acts
as your guide through the intriguing stories of how eighty places
became immortalized in the English language. You'll discover why
the origins of turkeys, limericks, Brazil nuts, and Panama hats
aren't quite as straightforward as you might presume. If you've
never heard of the tiny Czech mining town of Ja chymov-or
Joachimsthal, as it was known until the late 1800s-you're not
alone, which makes its claim to fame as the origin of the word
"dollar" all the more extraordinary. The story of how the Great
Dane isn't all that Danish makes the list, as does the Jordanian
mountain whose name has become a byword for a tantalizing glimpse.
We'll also find out what the Philippines has given to your office
inbox, what Alaska has given to your liquor cabinet, and how a
speech given by a bumbling North Carolinian gave us a word for
impenetrable nonsense. Surprising, entertaining, and illuminating,
this is essential reading for armchair travelers and word nerds.
Our dictionaries are full of hidden histories, tales, and
adventures from all over the world-if you know where to look.
Did you know that Jedburgh Justice is 'executing someone first,
then giving them a trial'? Or that Kentish Fire is 'applauding
sarcastically to silence your opponents'? From the author of
Haggard Hawks and Paltry Poltroons, this is a fascinating
collection of curious phrases and expressions from the English
language, together with the stories of their etymology and
anecdotes about their use in history. Where Haggard Hawks focused
on lists of ten words of a particular kind, this collection instead
focuses on lists phrases and expressions, also arranged by their
quirky and specific origins. The contents will include: 10 PHRASES
DERIVED FROM PLACES IN BRITAIN (Jedburgh justice, Kentish fire,
Scarborough warning...) 10 PHRASES DERIVED FROM PLACES IN LONDON (A
draught on the pump at Aldgate, Kent Street ejectment...) 10
PHRASES DERIVED FROM PLACES IN AMERICA (Hollywood yes, Michigan
bankroll, Chicago Overcoat...) 10 LATIN PHRASES USED IN ENGLISH
(Quid pro quo, nunc est bibendum...) 10 FRENCH PHRASES USED IN
ENGLISH (La vie en rose, C'est la guerre, Revenons a nos
moutons...) 10 SHAKESPEAREAN EXPRESSIONS (Gild the lily, Salad
days, All that glitters is not gold...) 10 LITERARY EXPRESSIONS (A
thing of beauty is a joy forever, Abandon hope all ye who enter
here...) 10 PHRASES FROM COMICS & CARTOONS (Keep up with the
Joneses, Mutt and Jeff...) 10 PHRASES FROM SONGS (Miss Otis
regrets, The birds and the bees, Potato po-tah-to...) 10 WAYS OF
SAYING 'WOW' (Great Scott, My stars, Mamma mia...)
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