Etymology English

The French point of view: “La langue anglaise n’existe pas. C’est du français mal prononcé.” (“The English language doesn’t exist. It is badly pronounced French.”) Georges Clemenceau, French Prime Minister, 1917-1920.

It first surfaced in the gripes of GIs during World War II and was captured early on by the typewriter of a young Norman Mailer. Within a generation it had become a basic notion of our everyday moral life, replacing older reproaches like lout and heel with a single inclusive category. We have conflicting attitudes about the A-word, but considering how much the word does for us, and to us, it hasn't gotten nearly the attention it deserves - at least until now.

Where do our everyday words come from? The bagel you eat for breakfast, the bumf you have to wade through at the office, and the bus that takes you home again: we use these words without thinking about their origins or how their meanings have changed over time. Simon Horobin takes the listener on a journey through a typical day, showing how the words we use to describe routine activities - getting up, going to work, eating meals - have surprisingly fascinating histories.

In its long history, the English language has had many lawmakers - those who have tried to regulate or otherwise organize the way we speak. The Lexicographer's Dilemma poses a pair of questions: What does proper English mean? And who gets to say what's right? Our ideas of correct or proper English have a history, and today's debates over the state of the language - whether about Ebonics in schools, the unique use of language in a South Park episode, or split infinitives in the Times - make sense only in historical context.

Looking for a unique and engaging way to teach yourself and your kids about the intriguing history and origins of the names of the 50 States? Look no further than this book!

Who knew that the great country of Canada is named for a mistake? How about "bedswerver", the best Elizabethan insult to hurl at a cheating boyfriend? By exploring the delightful back stories of the 250 words in Wordcatcher, listeners will be lured by language and entangled in etymologies. It takes a special wordcatcher to create a treasure chest of remarkable words and their origins, and any word lover will relish the stories that Cousineau has discovered.

To untangle the knot of interlocking meanings of these painted words, logophile and mythologist Phil Cousineau begins each fascinating word entry with his own brief definition. He then fills it in with a tint of etymology and a smattering of quotes that show how the word is used, ending with a list of companion words.

In 2003, the book Nigger started an intense conversation about the uses and implications of that epithet. The N Word moves beyond that short, provocative book by revealing how the word has both reflected and spread the scourge of bigotry in America.

The term "resentment" has dominated US news analysis since November 2016. Despite its increased use, this word seems to defy easy categorization. Does "resentment" describe many interlocking sentiments, or is it just another way of saying "anger"? Does it suggest an irrational grievance, as opposed to a legitimate callout of injustice? Does it imply political leanings, or is it nonpartisan by nature? Robert A. Schneider explores these questions and more, moving from eighteenth-century Britain to the aftermath of the French Revolution to social movements throughout the twentieth century.

You know something is wrong. The paradigm you live in is unjust, rigged against those without money, and completely unsustainable from both an economic and ecosystemic standpoint. Maybe you have no idea what’s going on, but you can feel the spiritual and physical wickedness eroding your way of life, your rights, your purchasing power, your health, and your ability to make a living. You don’t have time to sacrifice to research it and need something that is both clear and efficient at bringing you up to speed so that you can take action and help others. This book is for you.

Successful word coinage—those that stay in currency for a good long time—tend to conceal their beginnings. We take them at face value and rarely when and where they were first minted. Engaging, illuminating, and authoritative, Ralph Keyes' The Hidden History of Coined Words explores the etymological underworld of terms and expressions and uncovers plenty of hidden gems.

You know something is wrong. The paradigm you live in is unjust, rigged against those without money, and completely unsustainable from both an economic and ecosystemic standpoint. Maybe you already know what’s going on, but don’t have the time or resources to bring others up to speed. Refer them to this book.

Between You & Me features Norris' laugh-out-loud descriptions of some of the most common and vexing problems in spelling, punctuation, and usage - comma faults, danglers, "who" vs. "whom", "that" vs. "which", compound words, gender-neutral language - and her clear explanations of how to handle them.

Half the world's population speaks a language that has evolved from a single prehistoric mother tongue. First spoken in Stone Age times on the steppes of central Eurasia 6,500 years ago, this mother tongue spread from the shores of the Black Sea across almost all of Europe and much of Asia. It is the genetic basis of everything we speak and write today - the DNA of language.

Wordbuilders: The convenient and entertaining way to build a more powerful vocabulary. Each 60-minute entry in the series features 40 words used in everyday conversation, or in the media and books, but which many people skip, finding them difficult or even impossible to define or pronounce...

Wordbuilders: The convenient and entertaining way to build a more powerful vocabulary. Each 60-minute entry in the series features 40 words used in everyday conversation, or in the media and books, but which many people skip, finding them difficult or even impossible to define or pronounce...

Ponder, if you will ... Why are tennis balls fuzzy? How come birds don't tip over when they sleep on telephone wires? What makes yawning contagious? Why, oh why, do roosters have to crow so early in the morning? Pop-culture guru David Feldman demystifies these topics and so much more in When Do...

Discover how the food we love shapes the language we use in this sharp, laugh-out-loud story of the etymology of food words. All food has a story, reaching as far back into history as language itself. Throughout time, as languages followed and reflected the tides of civilizations, food language...

From the Stone Age to the Greek Tragedies, from Shakespeare to Robin Hood, we have always had our heroes. The hero is at the centre of formative myths in every culture and persists to this day in world-conquering books, films and TV shows. But why do these characters continue to inspire us, and why are they so central to storytelling? Scalpel-sharp on the roots of storytelling and enlightening on the history and science of myth, The Hero is essential listening for anyone trying to write or understand fiction.

In Ass: A Linguistic Journey, we dive cheeks-first into the absurd, hilarious, and surprisingly enlightening history of English’s most versatile monosyllable. From its humble beginnings in Old English and Latin livestock to its modern glory as internet slang, ass has kicked, kissed, busted, dragged, and memed its way into every corner of the language.