Useless Etymology: Offbeat Word Origins for Curious Minds
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Book Overview Did you know that an "astronaut" is literally a "star sailor," that a thesaurus is, in fact, a "treasuretrove" of words, and that someone...
Did you know that an "astronaut" is literally a "star sailor," that a thesaurus is, in fact, a "treasure
trove" of words, and that someone who is "sinister" is actually just "left-handed"?
trove" of words, and that someone who is "sinister" is actually just "left-handed"?
Have you ever wondered why English isn't considered a Romance language if 60% of our
words are Latin-derived?
Did Shakespeare really invent 1,700 words, and if not, why the heck do we say that he did?
Why is the English language stuffed with so many synonyms?
Let's be real: English can seem pretty bonkers. And, well, sometimes it is. But through thorough thought and a pinch of curiosity, method can be found within the madness of our modern tongue-even within the disparate pronunciation of the words "through," "thorough," and "thought."
Derived from Germanic, Romance, Hellenic, Semitic, African and Native American languages, English contains multitudes. It has been (and continues to be) transformed by war and conquest, art and literature, science and technology, love and hate, wit and whim.
Useless Etymology takes readers on a time-traveling adventure to unlock the beauty, wonder, and absurdity within our everyday words, how they came to be, and the unexpected ways their origins weave a global, cross-cultural labyrinth of meaning.
Filled with fun facts and delightful discoveries, this is an enlightening read for anyone who wants to know more about why the English language works the way that it does.
Book Details Format: Hardcover | Pages: 336 | Language: English | Publisher: CHAMBERS | ISBN: 1399809180
FormatHardcover
Pages336
LanguageEnglish
ISBN1399809180
EAN9781399809184
PublisherCHAMBERS
Publication Date2025-10-07
AccessoriesNo Accessory
ConditionNew
Product TypeHARD COVER BOOKS
Weight0.85 Pounds
Length7.9 Inches
Width5.3 Inches
Height1.3 Inches
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