Product Description

Did you know the phrase 'naughty but nice' was coined by novelist Salman Rushdie as an advertising slogan to sell cakes? Or that to the Anglo-Saxons a 'gossip' was a godparent? Who was the first to be sidetracked by a 'red herring'? Which writer gave us 'the last straw'?"The Origins of Words and Phrases" will reveal the secrets, scandals and surprises behind the words you use every day. Hear the stories and meet the personalities that have helped shape the English language from William Shakespeare and Lord Byron, to Rudyard Kipling and Salmon Rushdie.Produced in association with Oxford University Press, the world-renowned word experts, this indispensable reference is perfect for anybody who is curious about the way we talk today.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #65537 in Books
• Published on: 2008-02-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 384 pages

Customer Reviews

Disappointed with Amazon
This is not a review of this book but a criticism of Amazon. I placed my order on 8th December, hoping to give this item to someone as a Christmas present on the evening of the 19th December. I'm being told it will be delivered AFTER 25th December! It has not been dispatched; but I have not been allowed to cancel the order, even 10-12 days before the expected dispatch/delivery date! Amazon did not warn me about the post-Xmas delivery. Overall, a poor performance for Amazon who started off by being a famous online booksellers.