Items related to The Accidental Dictionary
Busking, for instance, originally meant piracy. Grin meant to snarl. A bimbo was a man; nice meant ignorant; glamor was magic, and a cupboard was a table. Buxom used to mean obedient; a cloud was a rock; raunchy originally meant dirty.
Focusing on one hundred 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.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review:
These surprising word stories show how definitions of even everyday terms appear then disappear, expand and contract, and develop and distort, making for pleasurable reading, especially owing to the author's lightheartedly learned style. Recommended for word buffs and those interested in language change.
About the Author:
Paul Anthony Jones is a writer, etymologist, and language blogger. He is the author of several British books on trivia and language, including the widely acclaimed Word Drops: A Sprinkling of Linguistic Curiosities. He has contributed to the Guardian, the Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Mental Floss and BBC Radio 4's The World at One, and he also runs @HaggardHawks, the hugely popular language-based Twitter account and YouTube channel. A piano teacher and musician, he lives in Newcastle upon Tyne.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherPegasus Books
- Publication date2019
- ISBN 10 1681778947
- ISBN 13 9781681778945
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages224
- Rating
Buy New
Learn more about this copy
£ 11.34
Shipping:
£ 3.55
Within U.S.A.
Top Search Results from the AbeBooks Marketplace
Seller Image
The Accidental Dictionary The Remarkable Twists and Turns of English Words
Published by
Pegasus Books
(2019)
ISBN 10: 1681778947
ISBN 13: 9781681778945
New
Paperback
Quantity: 2
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: New. Words and their meanings change overtime. Read how word origins and use have evolved. New softcover in illustrated wraps. 224 pp. 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; glamor was magic; and a cupboard was a table. Buxom used to mean obedient; a cloud was a rock; raunchy originally meant dirty.Focusing on one hundred 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. Seller Inventory # 1961
Buy New
£ 11.34
Convert currency