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Word Origins: The Hidden Histories of English Words from A to Z
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| List Price: | £12.99 |
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Product Description
The average contemporary English speaker knows 50,000 words. Yet stripped down to its origins, this apparently huge vocabulary is in reality much smaller, derived from Latin, French and the Germanic languages. It is estimated that every year, 800 neologisms are added to the English language: acronyms (nimby), blended words (motel), and those taken from foreign languages (savoir-faire). Laid out in an A-Z format with detailed cross references, and written in a style that is both authoritative and accessible, Word Origins is a valuable historical guide to the English language.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #20621 in Books
- Published on: 2005-10-04
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Binding: Paperback
- 576 pages
Editorial Reviews
Review
"authoritative and accessible" www.mantex.co.uk/reviews (1 March 2006) "Anyone who enjoys using words will enjoy tracing the ways in which they have developed." Writing Magazine (March 2006) "I've enjoyed it so much ... it is of such a curious nature I can't resist." The Spectator (11 November 2006)
About the Author
John Ayto is an experienced lexicographer and author of many language titles. He is Chief Etymologist on the Bloomsbury English Dictionary.
Customer Reviews
Great Fun!
This book is fun and informative for children and adults. Its set up in a dictionary style so easy to use. Some of the word origins are quite suprising.
