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books tagged “etymology”
books tagged “etymology”
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The American Heritage College DictionaryISBN 0395671612 (0-395-67161-2)
Hardcover, Houghton Mifflin
Find This BookBook summary:Despite the word "college" in the title, The American Heritage College Dictionary is the best choice for anyone who's looking for a substantive desk dictionary but isn't quite ready to commit to the space an unabridged takes. With more than 200,000 definitions and biographical and geographical notes, along with crisp photos, drawings, and diagrams in every margin, The American Heritage College Dictionary packs a lot into its 1664 pages. Under "lock," for example, you'll find both a diagram explaining how your key fits into and opens one, as well as a photo of boats passing through a river lock in Heidelberg, Germany. The actual definition section for "lock" shows 5 uses as a noun and 14 as a verb, followed by the idioms "lock horns" and "lock, stock, and barrel," and an etymological note that the word comes from the Old English loc, meaning "bolt or bar." As with all of the American Heritage dictionaries, The American Heritage College Dictionary boasts clear typography, clean design, and terrific usage notes based on the opinions of its 173-member usage panel, a group of noted North American writers and scholars, including Daniel Boorstin, June Jordan, Calvin Trillin, and Eudora Welty. These usage notes (for example, "brunette" seldom refers to men, because "-ette" is too closely associated with the feminine gender), along with regional notes (in the Northern U.S., a "bubbler" is a drinking fountain) and word histories, are a valuable addition to the standard definitions and synonyms one would expect from a college dictionary, and they are what make The American Heritage College Dictionary stand out from the crowd. --Rebecca A. Staffel [via]
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The American Heritage College Dictionaryby AhdISBN 0618835954 (0-618-83595-4)
Hardcover, Houghton Mifflin
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American Heritage College Dictionaryby American HeritageISBN 0395446384 (0-395-44638-4)
Hardcover, Houghton Mifflin College Div
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The American Heritage College Dictionaryby Houghton Mifflin Company Staff, American Heritage Dictionary EditorsISBN 0618098488 (0-618-09848-8)
Hardcover, Houghton Mifflin Company
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The American Heritage College Dictionary'Book summary:Despite the word "college" in the title, The American Heritage College Dictionary is the best choice for anyone who's looking for a substantive desk dictionary but isn't quite ready to commit to the space an unabridged takes. With more than 200,000 definitions and biographical and geographical notes, along with crisp photos, drawings, and diagrams in every margin, The American Heritage College Dictionary packs a lot into its 1664 pages. Under "lock," for example, you'll find both a diagram explaining how your key fits into and opens one, as well as a photo of boats passing through a river lock in Heidelberg, Germany. The actual definition section for "lock" shows 5 uses as a noun and 14 as a verb, followed by the idioms "lock horns" and "lock, stock, and barrel," and an etymological note that the word comes from the Old English loc, meaning "bolt or bar." As with all of the American Heritage dictionaries, The American Heritage College Dictionary boasts clear typography, clean design, and terrific usage notes based on the opinions of its 173-member usage panel, a group of noted North American writers and scholars, including Daniel Boorstin, June Jordan, Calvin Trillin, and Eudora Welty. These usage notes (for example, "brunette" seldom refers to men, because "-ette" is too closely associated with the feminine gender), along with regional notes (in the Northern U.S., a "bubbler" is a drinking fountain) and word histories, are a valuable addition to the standard definitions and synonyms one would expect from a college dictionary, and they are what make The American Heritage College Dictionary stand out from the crowd. --Rebecca A. Staffel [via]
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The American Heritage College Dictionary: DeluxeISBN 0618196048 (0-618-19604-8)
Hardcover, Houghton Mifflin
Find This BookBook summary:Recently revised, this comprehensive dictionary features more than 7,500 new words and senses; updated definitions in all subject areas; hundreds of photographs and drawings; notes on synonyms, regionalisms, and word histories; appendix of Indo-European roots; a current style guide; population statistics drawn from the 2000 U.S. census; and much more. [via]
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![[???]: The American Heritage College Dictionary/Deluxe/Indexed](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/0395669189.01._SL160_SCLZZZZZZZ__.jpg "The American Heritage College Dictionary/Deluxe/Indexed (0395669189) by [???]")
The American Heritage College Dictionary/Deluxe/IndexedISBN 0395669189 (0-395-66918-9)
Hardcover, Houghton Mifflin
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American Languageby H. L. MenckenISBN 0394400755 (0-394-40075-5)
Hardcover, Random House Inc
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The American Language: An Inquiry into the Development of English in the United Statesby H. L. MenckenISBN 0394733150 (0-394-73315-0)
Softcover, Random House Inc
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The American Language: An Inquiry into the Development of English in the United States'Book summary:This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. [via]
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Ballyhoo, Buckaroo, and Spuds: Ingenious Tales of Words and Their Originsby Michael QuinionISBN 1588342190 (1-58834-219-0)
Hardcover, Harpercollins
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Ballyhoo, Buckaroo, and Spuds: Ingenious Tales of Words and Their Origins'Book summary:The real story of a word or phrases origin and evolution is often much strangerand much more humorousthan the commonly accepted one; the many entries will certainly leave you happy as a clam. Happy as a clam? Really, whats so happy about being a clam? The saying makes much more sense when its paired with its missing second half: at high water. Now a clam at high water is a safe clam, and thus a happy clam. From the bawdy to the sublime, Quinions explanations and delightful asides truly prove that the proof is in the pudding. [via]
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Basic Albanian Etymologiesby Martin E. HuldISBN 0893571350 (0-89357-135-0)
Softcover, Slavica Pub
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Biblical Words and Their Meaning: An Introduction to Lexical Semanticsby Moises SilvaISBN 0310479819 (0-310-47981-9)
Softcover, Zondervan
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Biblical Words and Their Meaning: An Introduction to Lexical Semantics'Book summary:When first published in 1983, Biblical Words and Their Meaning broke new ground by introducing to students of the Bible the principles of linguistics, in particular, on lexical semantics -- that branch that focuses on the meaning of individual words. Silva's structural approach provides the interpreter with an important lexical tool for more responsible understanding of the biblical text and more effective use of standard exegetical resources. This revised edition includes a bibliographical essay by Silva, 'Recent Developments in Semantics,' and an appendix by Karen H. Jobes, 'Distinguishing the Meaning of Greek Verbs in the Semantic Domain for Worship,' that provides the reader with a substantive example of lexical study. [via]
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Brewer's Britain and Ireland : The History, Culture, Folklore and Etymology of 7500 Places in These Islandsby John Ayto, Ian CroftonISBN 030435385X (0-304-35385-X)
Hardcover, Cassell P L C
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Charles Dickensby John LucasISBN 0140772529 (0-14-077252-9)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Charles Dickens'Book summary:This study of five major novels by Dickens looks at the tensions between the "private" and "public" aspect of his work. [via]
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Chinese Charactersby L. WiegerISBN 0486213218 (0-486-21321-8)
Softcover, Dover Pubns
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Chinese Characters'Book summary:A series of etymological lessons classifies 2,300 Chinese characters, noting their modern and archaic forms, pronunciation, origin, semantic content, and variants, plus quotations of classical usage. Supplements include listings of phonetic elements and the primitives on which characters are based, an index of characters based on number of strokes, and other study aids.
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Chinese Characters: A Genealogy & Dictionaryby Rick HarbaughISBN 0966075005 (0-9660750-0-5)
Softcover, Yale Univ Pr
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Chronology of Words & Phrases: A Thousand Years in the History of Englishby Roger Flavell, Linda FlavellISBN 1856264149 (1-85626-414-9)
Softcover, Kyle Cathie Ltd
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The Chronology of Words and Phrases : A Thousand Years in the History of Englishby Linda Flavell, Roger FlavellISBN 1856262499 (1-85626-249-9)
Hardcover, Cathie Limited, Kyle
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Chronology of Words and Phrases : A Thousand Years in the History of English'Book summary:[via]After reaching America, Columbus introduced Europe to new foodstuffs such as chilli and chocolate, and the words that described them. Pope Boniface VIII proclaimed the first "jubilee" in 1300, and Francis Bacon published the first "essay" in 1597. The Normans gave us the "feudal system" and "curfews," while the flourishing of Dutch art in the 17th century introduced "easels," "etchings," and "landscapes." Thus, throughout history, events great and small have left their mark on the way we speak. Starting from 1066 and working through to the present-day boom in techno-speak, this book links hundreds of words with the historical upheavals and minor social changes which gave them life.More editions of The Chronology of Words and Phrases : A Thousand Years in the History of English:
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A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language for Readers of Englishby Ernest Klein, Baruch SarelISBN 965220093X (965-220-093-X)
Hardcover, Carta
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› Find signed collectible books: 'A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Hebrew Language for Readers of English'Book summary:A clear and concise work on the origins of the Hebrew words and their sense development. Each of the c. 32,000 entries is first given in its Hebrew form, then translated into English and analysed etymologically, using Latin transcription for all non-Latin scripts. An indispensable source of biblical, Jewish, modern Hebrew and Near Eastern studies. [via]
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The Concise Usage and Abusage: A Modern Guide to Good Englishby Eric PartridgeISBN 0837124662 (0-8371-2466-2)
Hardcover, Greenwood Pub Group
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Concise Usage and Abusage: A Modern Guide to Good English'Book summary:This work examines the best and worst uses of English in order to help speakers, writers and thinkers express themselves more clearly. It looks at archism, echoism, obscurity and tautology, and should be useful as reference book. [via]
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Concise Usage and Abusageby PartridgeISBN 185326346X (1-85326-346-X)
Softcover, Wordsworth Editions, Limited
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Concise Usage and Abusage'Book summary:This work examines the best and worst uses of English in order to help speakers, writers and thinkers express themselves more clearly. It looks at archism, echoism, obscurity and tautology, and should be useful as reference book. [via]
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The Concise Oxford Companion to the English Languageby Tom McArthur, Roshan McArthurISBN 0198631367 (0-19-863136-7)
Softcover, Oxford Univ Pr
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language'Book summary:First published in 1992, The Oxford Companion to the English Language was described by The Times as an `excellent guide to the history, geography and contours of English', one that `immediately establishes itself as a necessary book'. A carefully-planned shorter version of the Oxford Companion to the English Language, this new Concise concentrates on the central themes in the language: grammar, usage, dialect, pronunciation, and the history of English. Within each theme all the key subjects are covered, and individual entries offer all the most essential information from the parent Companion.
With nearly 2,000 articles in A-Z format the Concise Companion is an ideal reference for both students and general readers wanting access to the highly readable scholarship of the Companion in a portable and affordable format. [via]More editions of The Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language:
Coptic Etymological Dictionaryby Jaroslav CernyISBN 052107228X (0-521-07228-X)
Hardcover, Cambridge Univ Pr
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Crazy English: The Ultimate Joy Ride Through Our Languageby Richard LedererISBN 1417616989 (1-4176-1698-9)
Hardcover, Bt Bound
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Crazy English: The Ultimate Joy Ride Through Our Language'Book summary:One of the most unforgettable moments of my youth was learning the word pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. I was in third grade. So what if Richard Lederer has come up with a chemical compound that consists of 1,913 letters? Owning a word like pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis is empowering at any age. If you have ever been completely wowed by the power you can have over language, or its power over you, Richard Lederer is your patron saint. His oft-reprinted introduction to Crazy English, which was originally published in 1989, claims that English is "the most loopy and wiggy of all tongues." And then he demonstrates: "In what other language do people drive in a parkway and park in a driveway? ... Why do they call them apartments when they're all together?" And so on. Lederer's pace is frenetic. He alights on oxymorons ("pretty ugly," "computer jock"), redundancies, confusing words (are you sure you know the meaning of enormity?), phobias, contronyms, heteronyms, retroactive terms (acoustic guitar, rotary phone), and a host of other linguistic delights.
Though English may be one of the crazier languages--Lederer claims that about 80 percent of our words are not spelled phonetically--they are all, he says, a little crazy. "That's because language is invented ... by boys and girls and men and women, not computers. As such, language reflects the creative and fearful asymmetry of the human race, which, of course, isn't really a race at all." --Jane Steinberg [via]
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Devious Derivationsby Hugh RawsonISBN 0595002870 (0-595-00287-0)
Softcover, iUniverse, Incorporated
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Devious Derivations : Popular Misconceptions--and More than 1,000 True Origins of Common Words and Phrasesby Hugh RawsonISBN 0517881284 (0-517-88128-4)
Softcover, Crown Publishing Group
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- Devious Derivations : Popular Misconceptions -- and More Than 1,000 True Origins of Common Words and Phrases: ISBN 0517580667 (0-517-58066-7)
Hardcover, Crown Publishing Group - Devious Derivations : Popular Misconceptions--and More than 1,000 True Origins of Common Words and Phrases: ISBN 0517881284 (0-517-88128-4)
Softcover, Crown Publishing Group
- Devious Derivations : Popular Misconceptions -- and More Than 1,000 True Origins of Common Words and Phrases: ISBN 0517580667 (0-517-58066-7)
Dictionary of Eponymsby Martin H. ManserISBN 1853263737 (1-85326-373-7)
Softcover, Wordsworth Editions, Limited
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A Dictionary of Modern English Usageby Henry Watson FowlerISBN 0192813897 (0-19-281389-7)
Softcover, Oxford Univ Pr
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› Find signed collectible books: 'A Dictionary of Modern English Usage'Book summary:A guide to precise phrases, grammar, and pronunciation can be key; it can even be admired. But beloved? Yet from its first appearance in 1926, Fowler's was just that. Henry Watson Fowler initially aimed his Dictionary of Modern English Usage, as he wrote to his publishers in 1911, at "the half-educated Englishman of literary proclivities who wants to know Can I say so-&-so?" He was of course obsessed with, in Swift's phrase, "proper words in their proper places." But having been a schoolmaster, Fowler knew that liberal doses of style, wit, and caprice would keep his manual off the shelf and in writers' hands. He also felt that description must accompany prescription, and that advocating pedantic "superstitions" and "fetishes" would be to no one's advantage. Adepts will have their favorite inconsequential entries--from burgle to brood, truffle to turgid. Would that we could quote them all, but we can't resist a couple. Here Fowler lays into dedicated:
He is that rara avis a dedicated boxer. The sporting correspondent who wrote this evidently does not see why the literary critics should have a monopoly of this favourite word of theirs, though he does not seem to think that it will be greatly needed in his branch of the business.
Needless to say, later on rara avis is also smacked upside the head! And practically fares no better: "It is unfortunate that practically should have escaped from its true meaning into something like its opposite," Fowler begins. But our linguistic hero also knew full well when to put a crimp on comedy. Some phrases and proper uses, it's clear, would always be worth fighting for, and the guide thus ranges from brief definitions to involved articles. Archaisms, for instance, he considered safe only in the hands of the experienced, and meaningless words, especially those used by the young, "are perhaps more suitable for the psychologist than for the philologist." Well, youth might respond, "Whatever!"--though only after examining the keen differences between that phrase and what ever. (One can only imagine what Fowler would have made of our late-20th-century abuses of like.) This is where Robert Burchfield's 1996 third edition comes in. Yes, Fowler lost the fight for one r in guerrilla and didn't fare too well when it came to quashing such vogue words as smear and seminal. But he knew--and makes us ever aware--that language is a living, breathing (and occasionally suffocating) thing, and we hope that he would have welcomed any and all revisions. Fowlerphiles will want to keep their first (if they're very lucky) or second editions at hand, but should look to Burchfield for new entries on such phrases as gay, iron curtain, and inchoate--not to mention girl. --Kerry Fried [via]More editions of A Dictionary of Modern English Usage:
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A Dictionary of Modern English Usageby Simon Winchester, Henry FowlerISBN 0198605064 (0-19-860506-4)
Softcover, Oxford Univ Pr
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› Find signed collectible books: 'A Dictionary of Modern English Usage'Book summary:A guide to precise phrases, grammar, and pronunciation can be key; it can even be admired. But beloved? Yet from its first appearance in 1926, Fowler's was just that. Henry Watson Fowler initially aimed his Dictionary of Modern English Usage, as he wrote to his publishers in 1911, at "the half-educated Englishman of literary proclivities who wants to know Can I say so-&-so?" He was of course obsessed with, in Swift's phrase, "proper words in their proper places." But having been a schoolmaster, Fowler knew that liberal doses of style, wit, and caprice would keep his manual off the shelf and in writers' hands. He also felt that description must accompany prescription, and that advocating pedantic "superstitions" and "fetishes" would be to no one's advantage. Adepts will have their favorite inconsequential entries--from burgle to brood, truffle to turgid. Would that we could quote them all, but we can't resist a couple. Here Fowler lays into dedicated:
He is that rara avis a dedicated boxer. The sporting correspondent who wrote this evidently does not see why the literary critics should have a monopoly of this favourite word of theirs, though he does not seem to think that it will be greatly needed in his branch of the business.
Needless to say, later on rara avis is also smacked upside the head! And practically fares no better: "It is unfortunate that practically should have escaped from its true meaning into something like its opposite," Fowler begins. But our linguistic hero also knew full well when to put a crimp on comedy. Some phrases and proper uses, it's clear, would always be worth fighting for, and the guide thus ranges from brief definitions to involved articles. Archaisms, for instance, he considered safe only in the hands of the experienced, and meaningless words, especially those used by the young, "are perhaps more suitable for the psychologist than for the philologist." Well, youth might respond, "Whatever!"--though only after examining the keen differences between that phrase and what ever. (One can only imagine what Fowler would have made of our late-20th-century abuses of like.) This is where Robert Burchfield's 1996 third edition comes in. Yes, Fowler lost the fight for one r in guerrilla and didn't fare too well when it came to quashing such vogue words as smear and seminal. But he knew--and makes us ever aware--that language is a living, breathing (and occasionally suffocating) thing, and we hope that he would have welcomed any and all revisions. Fowlerphiles will want to keep their first (if they're very lucky) or second editions at hand, but should look to Burchfield for new entries on such phrases as gay, iron curtain, and inchoate--not to mention girl. --Kerry Fried [via]More editions of A Dictionary of Modern English Usage:
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Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Formsby Donald J. BorrorISBN 0874840538 (0-87484-053-8)
Softcover, Mayfield Pub Co
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Dictionary of Word Roots and Combining Forms'Book summary:One of the outstanding problems of the biologist, whether he be beginning student or specialists, is that of understanding technical terms. The best way to understand and remember technical terms is to understand first their component parts, or roots. This dictionary has been designed primarily to meet the needs of the beginning student, the medical student, and the taxonomist, but it should be of value to all biologists. [via]
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Dictionnaire Des Difficultes Du Francaisby RobertISBN 2850360090 (2-85036-009-0)
Hardcover, French & European Pubns
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Dog Days and Dandelions : A Lively Guide to the Animal Meanings Behind Everyday Wordsby Martha BarnetteISBN 0312280726 (0-312-28072-6)
Hardcover, St. Martin's Press
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![[???]: Duden Etymologie](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/3411009071.01._SL160_SCLZZZZZZZ__.jpg "Duden Etymologie (3411009071) by [???]")
Duden EtymologieISBN 3411009071 (3-411-00907-1)
Hardcover, Distribooks Inc
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Etymological Dictionary of Modern Englishby Ernest WeeklyISBN 0486218732 (0-486-21873-2)
Softcover, Dover Pubns
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Etymological Dictionary of Modern English'Book summary:Volume 2 of 2. Classic contains most of the more common words, plus slang, archaic words and phrases, and common foreign words. Roots are identified, cross-references to words with similar roots are listed and colloquial usages and alternate spellings are given. "Notable for its readable historical discussions, apt citations and jargonless clarity" Saturday Review.[via]More editions of Etymological Dictionary of Modern English:
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Etymologisches Worterbuch Der Deutschen Sprache: 22. Auflage Unter Mithilfe Von Max Burgisser Und Bernd Gregor Vollig Neu Bearbeitet Vonby Friedrich Kluge, Elmar SeeboldISBN 3110068001 (3-11-006800-1)
Hardcover, Walter De Gruyter Inc
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The F Wordby Jesse Sheidlower, Random House StaffISBN 0375706348 (0-375-70634-8)
Softcover, Random House Information Group
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The F Word'Book summary:There's something special about a lexicon in which more than half the entries begin with the same letter. The F-Word earned its title the hard way: editor Jesse Sheidlower and the staff of Random House combed vast numbers of books, magazines, films, and other works for references to the most beloved, least printable word in the English language and all its variations. There's some great reading here among the hundreds of citations, from the colorful dialogue of Gore Vidal to the military's creative use of intensifiers to boost morale. Of special interest are the acronyms and abbreviations incorporating the Word; after reading the entry for "BUFF," you might think twice before complimenting your gym-going friends.
The care and attention each entry receives makes The F-Word a pleasure to use or browse, whether looking up an obscure phrase from an Iceberg Slim book or finding new insults for your next flame war. Ross MacDonald's illustrations are cute and funny (but not pornographic) and help to defuse some of the tension that might result from exposure to undiluted profanity. The F-Word throws much-needed light on one of the most-used English words; if you want to learn to swear correctly, RTFM--Read the [ahem] Manual. --Rob Lightner [via]
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Fowler's Modern English Usageby R. W. Burchfield, H. W. FowlerISBN 0198610211 (0-19-861021-1)
Hardcover, Oxford Univ Pr
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Fowler's Modern English Usage'Book summary:For generations, lovers of the English language have turned to trusty copies of Fowler's to settle nagging grammatical questions, or, for true hard-core language junkies, for the sheer fun of reading H. W. Fowler's classic outrage contained in entries on "Hackneyed Phrases" or "Pedantic-Humour Words."
The New Fowler's Modern English Usage, the first revision in more than 30 years, has not arrived without controversy. Some language (and Fowler) purists complain that the book is too liberal at times, noting that usage is common as opposed to correct. Those points are debatable, and, indeed, they're what makes the book's nearly 900 pages so interesting to peruse. The currency of the new Fowler's extends to, in the entry on "Vogue Words," such novelties as "couch potato," "flavour of the month," "on a roll," and the notorious "parameter." [via]
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Heavens to Betsy: And Other Curious Sayingsby Charles E. FunkISBN 0060513314 (0-06-051331-4)
Softcover, Harper Resource
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Heavens to Betsy: And Other Curious Sayings'Book summary:He's as mad as a hatter!
Whether it's like a bump on a log or a bat out of hell, these expressions have been around forever, but we've never really known why ... until now! Finally Dr. Funk explains more than 400 droll, colorful, and sometimes pungent expressions of everyday speech. Derived from classical sources, historic events, famous literature, frontier humor, and the frailties of humankind, each of these sayings has an interesting story behind its origin.
If you've ever wondered why when you're in a hurry you are told to hold your horses, wonder no more!
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Heavens to Betsy and Other Curious Sayingsby FunkISBN 0060913533 (0-06-091353-3)
Softcover, Perennial Library
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Heavens to Betsy! : And Other Curious Sayingsby John Marlin, Charles E. FunkISBN 0062720112 (0-06-272011-2)
Softcover, HarperCollins Canada, Limited
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Heavens to Betsy! : And Other Curious Sayings'Book summary:He's as mad as a hatter!
Whether it's like a bump on a log or a bat out of hell, these expressions have been around forever, but we've never really known why ... until now! Finally Dr. Funk explains more than 400 droll, colorful, and sometimes pungent expressions of everyday speech. Derived from classical sources, historic events, famous literature, frontier humor, and the frailties of humankind, each of these sayings has an interesting story behind its origin.
If you've ever wondered why when you're in a hurry you are told to hold your horses, wonder no more!
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History in English Wordsby Owen BarfieldISBN 0940262118 (0-940262-11-8)
Softcover, Rudolf Steiner Pr
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I Always Look Up the Word "Egregious"by Maxwell W. NurnbergISBN 0134487125 (0-13-448712-5)
Softcover, Simon & Schuster
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In a Wordby James Thurber, Margaret S. ErnstISBN 0060972300 (0-06-097230-0)
Softcover, Harpercollins
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The Meaning of Tingo: And Other Extraordinary Words from Around the Worldby Jacot De Boinod, Adam Jacot de BoinodISBN 1594200866 (1-59420-086-6)
Hardcover, Penguin Group USA
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Meaning of Tingo: And Other Extraordinary Words from Around the World'Book summary:What began as a fortuitous discovery, when BBC researcher Adam Jacot de Boinod noticed that an Albanian dictionary contained 27 different words each for eyebrows and mustache, has become, after his obsessive 18-month journey through hundreds of foreign dictionaries, a very funny and genuinely informative guide to the world's strangest--and most useful--words. There are many books out there that invent, Sniglets-style, the words that the English language doesn't have but needs. What The Meaning of Tingo shows is that, like natural cures waiting to be found in the plants of the rainforest, many of the words already exist, in the languages of the world's other cultures. Who couldn't find a use for "neko-neko," an Indonesian word for "one who has a creative idea which only makes things worse," or "skeinkjari," a term from the Faroe Islands for "the man who goes among wedding guests offering them alcohol"? Some words that Jacot de Boinod has found are bizarre--"koro," the "hysterical belief that one's penis is shrinking into one's body" in Japanese--while others are surprisingly affecting, like the Inuit word "iktsuarpok," which means "to go outside often to see if someone is coming." And then there's "tingo" itself, from the Pascuense language of Easter Island: "to take all the objects one desires from the house of a friend, one at a time, by borrowing them."
Nearly any page you open to in The Meaning of Tingo pays hilarious tribute to the inventive genius of the world's peoples. Like Eat, Shoots & Leaves and Schott's Miscellany, with which it shares a quirky British charm and a gift-friendly look and size, The Meaning of Tingo is a UK bestseller that by all rights should become equally popular in North America. --Tom Nissley
The Man Who Swallowed 200 Dictionaries
There is no word (that we know of) to describe someone who spends a year and half of their life poring through a library's worth of dictionaries in hundreds of languages, but that's exactly what Adam Jacot de Boinod did after a chance encounter with a heavy Albanian dictionary. Listen to our interview with the author to hear just how he got started on this strange but fruitful journey, and what he hopes might be the usefulness of his light-hearted book in making us aware of the cultural riches in danger of being lost as the world's living languages become extinct nearly as quickly as its species.
The Meaning of Tingo Language Learning Lab
Adam Jacot de Boinod has chosen a handful of his own favorite words from The Meaning of Tingo Click here to hear him pronounce and define the words, and start slipping them into conversation today!
[via]nakhur, Persian a camel that won't give milk until her nostrils are tickled areodjarekput, Inuit to exchange wives for a few days only marilopotes, ancient Greek a gulper of coaldust ilunga, Tshiluba, Congo someone who is ready to forgive any abuse for the first time, to tolerate it a second time, but never a third time cigerci, Turkish a seller of liver and lungs seigneur-terrasse, French a person who spends much time but little money in a cafe (literally: a terrace lord) Torschlusspanik, German the fear of diminishing opportunities as one gets older (literally: gate-closing panic; often applied to women worried about being too old to have children.) pana po'o, Hawaiian to scratch your head in order to remember something waterponie, Afrikaans jet ski More editions of The Meaning of Tingo: And Other Extraordinary Words from Around the World:
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Modern English Usageby FowlerISBN 1853263184 (1-85326-318-4)
Softcover, Lb May & Assoc Inc
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Modern English Usage'Book summary:A guide to precise phrases, grammar, and pronunciation can be key; it can even be admired. But beloved? Yet from its first appearance in 1926, Fowler's was just that. Henry Watson Fowler initially aimed his Dictionary of Modern English Usage, as he wrote to his publishers in 1911, at "the half-educated Englishman of literary proclivities who wants to know Can I say so-&-so?" He was of course obsessed with, in Swift's phrase, "proper words in their proper places." But having been a schoolmaster, Fowler knew that liberal doses of style, wit, and caprice would keep his manual off the shelf and in writers' hands. He also felt that description must accompany prescription, and that advocating pedantic "superstitions" and "fetishes" would be to no one's advantage. Adepts will have their favorite inconsequential entries--from burgle to brood, truffle to turgid. Would that we could quote them all, but we can't resist a couple. Here Fowler lays into dedicated:
He is that rara avis a dedicated boxer. The sporting correspondent who wrote this evidently does not see why the literary critics should have a monopoly of this favourite word of theirs, though he does not seem to think that it will be greatly needed in his branch of the business.
Needless to say, later on rara avis is also smacked upside the head! And practically fares no better: "It is unfortunate that practically should have escaped from its true meaning into something like its opposite," Fowler begins. But our linguistic hero also knew full well when to put a crimp on comedy. Some phrases and proper uses, it's clear, would always be worth fighting for, and the guide thus ranges from brief definitions to involved articles. Archaisms, for instance, he considered safe only in the hands of the experienced, and meaningless words, especially those used by the young, "are perhaps more suitable for the psychologist than for the philologist." Well, youth might respond, "Whatever!"--though only after examining the keen differences between that phrase and what ever. (One can only imagine what Fowler would have made of our late-20th-century abuses of like.) This is where Robert Burchfield's 1996 third edition comes in. Yes, Fowler lost the fight for one r in guerrilla and didn't fare too well when it came to quashing such vogue words as smear and seminal. But he knew--and makes us ever aware--that language is a living, breathing (and occasionally suffocating) thing, and we hope that he would have welcomed any and all revisions. Fowlerphiles will want to keep their first (if they're very lucky) or second editions at hand, but should look to Burchfield for new entries on such phrases as gay, iron curtain, and inchoate--not to mention girl. --Kerry Fried [via]More editions of Modern English Usage:
The Naming of Names: The Search For Order In The World Of Plantsby Anna PavordISBN 1596910712 (1-59691-071-2)
Hardcover, St Martins Pr
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The New Fowler's Modern English Usageby H. W. Fowler, R. W. BurchfieldISBN 0198602634 (0-19-860263-4)
Hardcover, Oxford Univ Pr
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The New Fowler's Modern English Usage'Book summary:For generations, lovers of the English language have turned to trusty copies of Fowler's to settle nagging grammatical questions, or, for true hard-core language junkies, for the sheer fun of reading H. W. Fowler's classic outrage contained in entries on "Hackneyed Phrases" or "Pedantic-Humour Words."
The New Fowler's Modern English Usage, the first revision in more than 30 years, has not arrived without controversy. Some language (and Fowler) purists complain that the book is too liberal at times, noting that usage is common as opposed to correct. Those points are debatable, and, indeed, they're what makes the book's nearly 900 pages so interesting to peruse. The currency of the new Fowler's extends to, in the entry on "Vogue Words," such novelties as "couch potato," "flavour of the month," "on a roll," and the notorious "parameter." [via]
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Origins and Development of the English Languageby Thomas Pyles, John AlgeoISBN 015507055X (0-15-507055-X)
Hardcover, Heinle
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Origins and Development of the English Language'Book summary:The fourth edition of THE ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE continues to focus on the internal history of English -- its sounds, grammar, and vocabulary. In organization, the vocabulary is still treated most intensely in the final three chapter of the book. By studying the history of English, one can better understand the irregularities of modern English as well as finding more about ourselves. [via]
More editions of Origins and Development of the English Language:
- Origins and Development of the English Language: ISBN 015500168X (0-15-500168-X)
Hardcover, Thomson Learning - Origins and Development of the English Language: ISBN 0155676083 (0-15-567608-3)
Hardcover, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich - The Origins and Development of the English Language: ISBN 015507055X (0-15-507055-X)
Hardcover, Heinle
- Origins and Development of the English Language: ISBN 015500168X (0-15-500168-X)
The Origins of English Words: A Discursive Dictionary of Indo-European Rootsby Joseph Twadell ShipleyISBN 0801830044 (0-8018-3004-4)
Hardcover, Johns Hopkins Univ Pr
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The Oxford Companion to the English Languageby Tom McArthurISBN 019214183X (0-19-214183-X)
Hardcover, Oxford Univ Pr
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Oxford Companion to the English Language'Book summary:Language is the life blood of a culture, and to be interested in culture is in some sense to be interested in language, in the shapes and sounds of words, in the history of reading, writing, and speech, in the endless variety of dialects and slangs, in the incessant creativity of the human mind as it reaches out to others. It is surprising then that until now there has been no major one-volume reference devoted to the most widely dispersed and influential language of our time: the English language.
A language-lover's dream, The Oxford Companion to the English Language is a thousand-page cornucopia covering virtually every aspect of the English language as well as language in general. The range of topics is remarkable, offering a goldmine of information on writing and speech (including entries on grammar, literary terms, linguistics, rhetoric, and style) as well as on such wider issues as sexist language, bilingual education, child language acquisition, and the history of English. There are biographies of Shakespeare, Noah Webster, Noam Chomsky, James Joyce, and many others who have influenced the shape or study of the language; extended articles on everything from psycholinguistics to sign language to tragedy; coverage of every nation in which a significant part of the population speaks English as well as virtually every regional dialect and pidgin (from Gullah and Scouse to Cockney and Tok Pisin). In addition, the Companion provides bibliographies for the larger entries, generous cross-referencing, etymologies for headwords, a chronology of English from Roman times to 1990, and an index of people who appear in entries or bibliographies. And like all Oxford Companions, this volume is packed with delightful surprises. We learn, for instance, that the first Professor of Rhetoric at Harvard later became President (John Quincy Adams); that "slogan" originally meant "war cry"; that the keyboard arrangement QWERTY became popular not because it was efficient but the opposite (it slows down the fingers and keeps them from jamming the keys); that "mbenzi" is Swahili for "rich person" (i.e., one who owns a Mercedes Benz); and that in Scotland, "to dree yir ain weird" means "to follow your own star."
From Scrabble to Websters to TESOL to Gibraltar, the thirty-five hundred entries here offer more information on a wider variety of topics than any other reference on the English language. Featuring the work of nearly a hundred scholars from around the world, this unique volume is the ideal shelf-mate to The Oxford Companion to English Literature. It will captivate everyone who loves language. [via]More editions of The Oxford Companion to the English Language:
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Red Herrings and White Elephantsby Albert JackISBN 1843581299 (1-84358-129-9)
Hardcover, Blake Publishing, Limited, John
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Red Herrings and White Elephants'Book summary:Bold as brass, cold feet, cock and bull, off the cuff, red herrings and white elephants. We use these phrases every day and yet have only the vaguest idea of where many of them come from. The origins of hundreds of common phrases are explained in this irreverent journey through the most fascinating and richest regions of the English language. Once you've read one, you'll be diving back in to look up all the others. Red Herrings is full of amazing definitions that take us all over the world, including military traditions and famous people who lent their names to describe familiar situations. From the drop of a hat to the bitter end - you'll never speak English in the same way again. [via]
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The Secret Lives of Wordsby Paul WestISBN 0156014092 (0-15-601409-2)
Softcover, Harcourt
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Secret Lives of Words'Book summary:Paul West delights in the vicissitudes of language, and his enthusiasm is exquisitely catching. West particularly loves a good etymology (and who, deep down, doesn't?), and he's dedicated this newest of his 30-odd books to 500 of his favorite words and phrases, and the stories that go with them.
West tells a good tale, and he uses his gift to explain the derivation of words such as "Hottentot" and "humble pie," "patter," "conkers," and "nurdle." He starts with "abacus" and "ablative absolute" and works his magic alphabetically through his personal lexicon, ending with "zoot suit" and "zymurqist" (i.e., one who works with yeast, from the Greek zume for leaven and urqist for worker, as in metallurgist). Along the way, he provides definitions, usage, and derivations for "snite" (to blow one's nose without a tissue or handkerchief) and "scranny" (nuts, crazy, as in "driven scranny," from the Yorkshire dialect), as well as for more common words like "leotard" (named after James Léotard, the 19th-century French aerialist) and "decimate" (which means to kill one-tenth of, despite common misusage, and comes from the Roman practice of killing one of every 10 soldiers in times of mutiny). West's entry on "nun" explores the many food items containing that name--such as the Portuguese barriga de freira (nun's tummy) and the Neapolitan coscia de monaca (nun's thigh)--and his short essay on pumpernickel explains how (and why) the name derives from words meaning devil fart.
As fun a word book as has hit the market since Eric Partridge's Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, The Secret Lives of Words is selective instead of comprehensive, and therein lies some of its charm. It's informal. It's a taste. It's purely for the joy of the language. In his introduction, West reflects that "sadly, all words seem much the same to many people, like checkers, and they feel about them much as I do about Vivaldi's Four Seasons: all sound like Winter." Yet it's hard to imagine anyone skimming through the boondoggles and dead-cat bounces of The Secret Lives of Words and emerging without a joyous smile and a hunger for more. --Stephanie Gold [via]
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The Stories of Englishby David CrystalISBN 1585677191 (1-58567-719-1)
Softcover, Overlook Pr
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Stories of English'Book summary:The English language is now accepted as the global lingua franca of the modern age, spoken or written in by over a quarter of the human race. But how did it evolve? How did a language spoken originally by a few thousand Anglo-Saxons become one used by more than 1,500 million? What developments can be seen as we move from Beowulf to Chaucer to Shakespeare to Dickens and the present day? A host of fascinating questions are answered in The Stories of English ? a groundbreaking history of the language by David Crystal, the world-renowned writer and commentator on English. Many books have been written about English, but they have all focused on a single variety ? the educated, printed language called ?standard? English. David Crystal turns the history of English on its head and instead provides a startlingly original view of where the richness, creativity and diversity of the language truly lies ? in the accents and dialects of nonstandard English users all over the world. Whatever their regional, social or ethnic background, each group has a story worth telling, whether it is in Scotland or Somerset, South Africa or Singapore. Interweaved within this central chronological story are accounts of uses of dialect around the world as well as in literary classics from The Canterbury Tales to The Lord of the Rings. For the first time, regional speech and writing is placed centre stage, giving a sense of the social realities behind the development of English. This significant shift in perspective enables the reader to understand for the first time the importance of everyday, previously marginalized, voices in our language and provides an argument too for the way English should be taught in the future. [via]
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The Story of Englishby Robert McCrum, William Cran, Robert MacNeilISBN 0140154051 (0-14-015405-1)
Softcover, Penguin Group (Canada)
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Story of English'Book summary:[via]Now revised, The Story of English is the first book to tell the whole story of the English language. Originally paired with a major PBS miniseries, this book presents a stimulating and comprehensive record of spoken and written Englishfrom its Anglo-Saxon origins some two thousand years ago to the present day, when English is the dominant language of commerce and culture with more than one billion English speakers around the world. From Cockney, Scouse, and Scots to Gulla, Singlish, Franglais, and the latest African American slang, this sweeping history of the English language is the essential introduction for anyone who wants to know more about our common tongue.
More editions of The Story of English:
- The Story of English: ISBN 0142002313 (0-14-200231-3)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA - The Story of English: ISBN 0140094350 (0-14-009435-0)
Softcover, Penguin Books - The Story of English: ISBN 0670804673 (0-670-80467-3)
Hardcover, Penguin Group USA - The Story of English: ISBN 0140154051 (0-14-015405-1)
Softcover, Penguin Group (Canada)
- The Story of English: ISBN 0142002313 (0-14-200231-3)
Studies in Etymologyby DunmoreISBN 0941051293 (0-941051-29-3)
Softcover, Focus Pub R Pullins & Co
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The Superior Person's Third Book of Well-Bred Wordsby Peter Bowler, Dennis CorriganISBN 1567921612 (1-56792-161-2)
Hardcover, David R Godine Pub
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Superior Person's Third Book of Well-Bred Words'Book summary:A dictionary for those who perceive a difference, a handbook for Superior Persons who love words.
Are you an Anglophile? (Stout fellow!) Just stand at this springboard and leave the fields of popinjay jabber and tongue-stumped battology behind forever! Step up for big dividends in the giddy heights of superior speech. Are you a rasorial searcher after words? Are nouns your bread? Adjectives your butter? Verbs your little salad? Adverbs your house dressing? Well, then, this is the book to shiver you futtocks! Put an end to fopdoodly speech; amaze your friends, baffle your enemies, write interoffice memos to end all discussion! Peter Bowler will teach you the practical riches of saying it well with good words, neglected words, precise words for vocabular exultation. A Superior Person is not defined by income, class, or sex. A Superior Person uses Superior Speech. And, if Aristotle's definition of art as something both entertaining and edifying is still toasted with glee, then there's art a-chock-a-block in Mr. Bowler's dictionary - a funny, useful, and elevating little book. [via]More editions of The Superior Person's Third Book of Well-Bred Words:
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The Superior Person's Book of Wordsby Peter BowlerISBN 1567921590 (1-56792-159-0)
Hardcover, David R Godine Pub
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Superior Person's Books of Words'Book summary:The avowed purpose of this witty little book is to equip the reader to be the superior person of the title by expanding the vocabulary of the rare and arcane ("Secret, hidden. An excellent example of a Superior Word of the first order, ie, one that is on the margin of recognition for most people, is known to many, but used by few."). You can then indulge in the arts of parisology ("The deliberate pursuit of ambiguity in one's language") or charientism ("An elegantly veiled insult"), using terms such as fungible ("Replaceable by, or acceptable as a replacement for, a similar item ... Your sister's latest boyfriend could be referred to as 'one of Belinda's fungibles."). Or challenge the pretentious who insist on using terms such as matrix, parameter or paradigm ("Model, pattern, or example. A pretentious and unnecessary word, normally found only in psychology theses. Never use this word yourself, but be prepared, when it is used by another, to lean forward intently, narrow your eyes, and say, 'Just a moment--do you really mean "paradigm" in that context?' When, somewhat bemused, he avers that he does, you merely raise your eyebrows and remain silent..."). You will also have a remarkable collection of words for minor but serious-sounding illnesses to get you out of doing chores, and be able to drive Scrabble players wild with words ranging from aeaeae ("magic") to zaftig ("desirably plump").
A nicely produced hardback, just the right size for dipping into in bed, this would make an excellent present for your favourite word-lover or word-game fanatic. --Julia Cresswell [via]
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Usage and Abusageby Eric Partridge, Janet WhitcutISBN 0140514422 (0-14-051442-2)
Softcover, Penguin Uk
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Usage and Abusage'Book summary:Eric Partridge was a master of linguistic scholarship. Author of A Dictionary of Cliches, Shakespeare's Bawdy, and many others, Partridge's Usage and Abusage, first out in 1942, was last updated by him in 1973, six years before his death. But life and language tick on, even without Partridge. Now, Janet Whitcut has revised his classic to keep up with the 1990s. One is reminded that "ablution is now intolerably pedantic" for "hand washing," that errata should be confined to corrections in books, and that precipitously (very steeply) should not be misused in the place of precipitately (violently hurried). The entry on punctuation runs for pages and is lucid, literate, and lively. The "Vogue Words" section is completely updated and provides today's connotations for words and phrases from academic to yuppie, rounding out a scholarly reference that maintains the Partridge standard. [via]
More editions of Usage and Abusage:
- Usage and Abusage: A Guide to Good English: ISBN 0393317099 (0-393-31709-9)
Softcover, W W Norton & Co Inc - Usage and Abusage: ISBN 0140510249 (0-14-051024-9)
Softcover, Penguin Group USA - Usage and Abusage: A Guide to Good English: ISBN 0393037614 (0-393-03761-4)
Hardcover, W W Norton & Co Inc - Usage and Abusage: ISBN 0140514422 (0-14-051442-2)
Softcover, Penguin Uk
- Usage and Abusage: A Guide to Good English: ISBN 0393317099 (0-393-31709-9)
![[???]: Webster's Dictionary of Word Origins](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/P/0765107554.01._SL160_SCLZZZZZZZ__.jpg "Webster's Dictionary of Word Origins (0765107554) by [???]")
Webster's Dictionary of Word OriginsISBN 0765107554 (0-7651-0755-4)
Hardcover, Smithmark Pub
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Webster's Dictionary of Word Originsby Merriam-Webster, Inc. StaffISBN 0831715421 (0-8317-1542-1)
Hardcover, Smithmark Publishers, Incorporated
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Webster's Word Historiesby Merriam-Webster IncISBN 0877790485 (0-87779-048-5)
Hardcover, Merriam-Webster
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What's in a Word : Fascinating Stories of More Than 350 Everyday Words and Phrasesby Webb GarrisonISBN 1558538119 (1-55853-811-9)
Softcover, Nelson Incorporated, Thomas
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Why You Say Itby Webb GarrisonISBN 1558531289 (1-55853-128-9)
Softcover, Thomas Nelson Inc
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Why You Say It'Book summary:The Fascinating stories behind over 600 everyday words and phrases such as...
Shindig - A veteran square dance caller will tell you that bruised shins result from the swigging feet of beginning dancers. A dance that leaves telltale marks on the lower legs of participants is a shindig.Alibi - The word is taken straight from Latin and means "elsewhere." The perfect "alibi" is to prove one was "elsewhere" when the deed was done.
And many more...
[via] -
The Word Detectiveby Evan MorrisISBN 1565122399 (1-56512-239-9)
Hardcover, Algonquin Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Word Detective'Book summary:Who needs Sherlock Holmes when you've got a word detective? Evan Morris, whose Web site and syndicated column solve more mysteries than even Scotland Yard could manage, has assembled a book of entertaining questions and answers that will amuse, educate, and resolve arguments all at once. From "amok" to "zarf", the definitions and origins of words are explained with a delightful combination of wit and research that will leave curious readers delighted.
Each entry begins with the original question asked of Morris, complete with the writer's misspellings and misinformation, and a few of these may result in cringes from the serious wordsmiths out there. One query incorrectly remembers the metaphor "hair of the dog that bit you" as "Something like bite the dog's tail or the dog that bit you last night," and Morris makes plenty of entertaining suggestions regarding these incorrect versions before finally explaining that the phrase have been around since about 1546, and specifically refers to a hangover remedy. The author is in especially fine form while explaining the phrase "passing the bar"--who knew that it dates back to a requirement that lawyers wrestle a grizzly "bar" before entering into practice? The correct explanation follows Morris's whimsical tale, but 16th-century England just doesn't have quite the same entertainment value. Several special sections cover larger topics, such as food- and animal-based phrases (easy as pie, dog days), onomatopoeia, euphemisms, diner slang, and Yiddish expressions. While not as detailed as the alphabetical entries, words like "wreck", "mensch," and "throb" are given satisfying, if short, descriptions. --Jill Lightner [via]
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The Word Detective : Solving the Mysteries Behind Those Pesky Words and Phrasesby Evan MorrisISBN 0452282640 (0-452-28264-0)
Softcover, Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
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The Word Museum: The Most Remarkable English Ever Forgottenby Jeffrey KacirkISBN 0684857618 (0-684-85761-8)
Softcover, Simon & Schuster
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Word Museum: The Most Remarkable English Ever Forgotten'Book summary:ENTER A GALLERY OF WIT AND WHIMSY
As the largest and most dynamic collection of words ever assembled, the English language continues to expand. But as hundreds of new words are added annually, older ones are sacrificed. Now from the author of Forgotten English comes a collection of fascinating archaic words and phrases, providing an enticing glimpse into the past. With beguiling period illustrations, The Word Museum offers up the marvelous oddities and peculiar enchantments of old and unusual words. [via]
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Word Mysteries & Histories: From Quiche to Humble Pieby American Heritage Dictionaries EditorsISBN 0395402654 (0-395-40265-4)
Hardcover, Houghton Mifflin
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Word Mysteries and Histories: From Quiche to Humble Pieby American Heritage Publishing Staff, Barry Moser, Robert ClaiborneISBN 0395402646 (0-395-40264-6)
Softcover, Houghton Mifflin Company
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Word Myths: Debunking Linguistic Urban Legendsby David Wilton, Ivan BrunettiISBN 0195172841 (0-19-517284-1)
Hardcover, Oxford Univ Pr
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Word Origins: An Exploration and History of Words and Languageby Wilfred FunkISBN 0517265745 (0-517-26574-5)
Hardcover, Grammercy
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Word Origins: An Exploration and History of Words and Language'Book summary:From a highly respected name in reference literature, an easy-to-access, dependable sourcebook on the origin and development of thousands of words, each word has been thoroughly checked by ranking linguists and the information is presented in a manner as entertaining as fiction, An Outlet bestseller in previous editions. 432 pages. 6 X 9. [via]
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Word Origins: And How We Know Them; Etymology for Everyoneby Anatoly LibermanISBN 0195161475 (0-19-516147-5)
Hardcover, Oxford Univ Pr
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Word Origins : The Romance of Languageby Cecil HuntISBN 0806506857 (0-8065-0685-7)
Softcover, Kensington Publishing Corporation
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Wordgloss: A Cultural Lexiconby Jim O'Donnell, John BanvilleISBN 1843510731 (1-84351-073-1)
Softcover, Lilliput Pr Ltd
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The Words You Should Know: 1200 Essential Words Every Educated Person Should Be Able to Use and Defineby David OlsenISBN 1558500189 (1-55850-018-9)
Softcover, Adams Media Corp
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Words You Should Know: 1200 Essential Words Every Educated Person Should Be Able to Use and Define'Book summary:Lots of people need a quick and authoritative way to identify and define the most troublesome common words. The usual approach- stalling for time until you can grasp the context of what the person has just said-has its limits. If only there were a list, not of every word (after all, reading dictionaries is no one's idea of fun) but of the right words, the ones that are used frequently but don't quite register when you come across them. The Words You Should Know features straightforward, succinct definitions and sentence examples of over 1200 tough-but-common words. It's the kind of book that can get you out of a jam, improve your performance at school, and help advance your career. And that's no hyperbole, rigmarole, or embellishment. [via]
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![The American Heritage College Dictionary (0395671612) by [???]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51FWCJFR9YL._SL160_.jpg "The American Heritage College Dictionary (0395671612) by [???]")
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Finnish
Nykysuomen Etymologinen Sanakirjaby Kaisa HakkinenISBN 951027108X (951-0-27108-X)
Hardcover, WSOY
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French
Dictionnaire etymologique Du Francaisby Jacqueline PicocheISBN 2850360139 (2-85036-013-9)
Hardcover, Le Robert
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German
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Etymologisches Worterbuch Der Deutschen Spracheby Elmar SeeboldISBN 3110163926 (3-11-016392-6)
Hardcover, Walter De Gruyter Inc
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Etymologisches Worterbuch Der Deutschen Sprache'Book summary:The Kluge is the famous standard dictionary of German etymology. It comprehensively informs about the historical development and forming of 13,000 German and foreign words. For this edition, the editor has carefully examined, revised and updated the entire text. For the first time the Kluge is published with a CD-ROM that allows detailed and quick inquiries. The layout of the pages and the book cover have a new design, and the book will have a modern appearance. System Requirements: Windows 95/98/ME/2000/NT 4.0/XP 80486 processor (Pentium recommended) Minimum 16 MB RAM (32 MB RAM recommended) Minimum 18 MB free diskspace (cd drive) Minimum 40 MB free diskspace (full installation) [via]
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Norwegian
Vare Arveord: Etymologisk Ordbokby Fredrik Otto Lindeman, Harald BjorvandISBN 8270993190 (82-7099-319-0)
Hardcover, Novus
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