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Page de couverture de The Secret Life of Words: English Words and Their Origins

The Secret Life of Words: English Words and Their Origins

Auteur(s): Anne Curzan, The Great Courses
Narrateur(s): Anne Curzan
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Description

From new words such as "bling" and "email" to the role of text messaging and other electronic communications, English is changing all around us. Discover the secrets behind the words in our everyday lexicon with this delightful, informative survey of English, from its Germanic origins to the rise of globalization and cyber-communications.

Professor Curzan approaches words like an archaeologist, digging below the surface to uncover the story of words, from the humble "she" to such SAT words as "conflagration" and "pedimanous."

In these 36 fascinating lectures, you'll

  • discover the history of the dictionary and how words make it into a reference book like the Oxford English Dictionary;
  • survey the borrowed words that make up the English lexicon;
  • find out how words are born and how they die;
  • expand your vocabulary by studying Greek and Latin "word webs"; and
  • revel in new terms, such as "musquirt," "adorkable," and "struggle bus."

English is an omnivorous language and has borrowed heavily from the many languages it has come into contact with, from Celtic and Old Norse in the Middle Ages to the dozens of world languages in the truly global 20th and 21st centuries. You'll be surprised to learn that the impulse to conserve "pure English" is nothing new. In fact, if English purists during the Renaissance had their way, we would now be using Old English compounds such as "flesh-strings" for "muscles" and "bone-lock" for "joint."

You may not come away using terms like "whatevs" or "multislacking" in casual conversation, but you'll love studying the linguistic system that gives us such irreverent - and fun - slang, from "boy toy" to "cankles."

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2012 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2012 The Great Courses

Ce que les auditeurs disent de The Secret Life of Words: English Words and Their Origins

Moyenne des évaluations de clients
Au global
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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Histoire
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Au global
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Histoire
    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant instruction of the English Language

Funny, charming, informative and memorable. Very knowledgeable instructor delivering very well thought out lectures. Recommend.

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  • Au global
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Histoire
    5 out of 5 stars
  • cat
  • 2023-01-10

so interesting

loved hearing how words have changed and how new words are created. I really enjoy the Great Courses

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  • Au global
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Histoire
    4 out of 5 stars

Good, but…

This is an interesting look at the way in which we use modern language and how some words and phrases have changed over time. More accurately it’s a look at the way modern American English is used. I would have enjoyed it more if I had liked the lecturer better, but the things that bothered me may not apply to most people so feel free to stop reading here, or continue at your own discretion.
The lecturer sounded like she was speed walking and could only speak between breaths. The rhythm of sentences were halting and counterintuitive.
Her examples of some widely used words were very American specific (I have never heard anyone in Canada suggest you “go look it up in Websters”). Similarity her incredulity at certain terms I can only assume stems from an American perspective. She says she can’t imagine what to call a Q-tip or a Post-it if you don’t use the brand name. I’m Canada cotton swab and sticky note are and have been commonly used.
Finally, and this is nitpicking, I know, but it hit the ear wrong to hear the plural form of focus pronounced with a soft c (Like fo-si). I thought she just misspoke until she said it a second time.

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