Word Mysteries and Histories: From Quiche to Humble Pie
by American Heritage
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Presents the etymology of over 500 words in the English language.Tags
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This is a moderately interesting book, in that there are wonderful nuggets of information sprinkled across a sea of rather bland prose -- and this is from a devoted linguaphile! It's probably better to read it as you're reading other books instead of all at once. I got it cheap, so I can't complain about the price. I just wish that the authors had focused in on the more interesting words rather than include so many dull ones.
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- [Foreword] Having written two books and part of a third on English words, I consider myself something of an expert on them.
[Preface] The recipe for the more than 500 articles in "Word Mysteries and Histories: Form Quiche to Humble Pie" is found in the thousands of letters that the editors of "The American Heritage Dictionaries" have received ove... (show all)r the years from our readers.
aboveboard - Cardsharps take note: the term aboveboard, now meaning "without deceit or trickers," is a compound of above and board, the latter of which once meant "a table of any kind."
[The Last Word] We have intended this collection of mysteries and histories of English words to be absorbing and entertaining in its own right, word by word. - Last words
- (Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)[Foreword] You won't find these tales in this book--but there are plenty of equally bizarre ones in it. Good reading!
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)[Preface] We hope that you will be tantalized and mesmerized by the stories behind the canapes and the cordials, the garlic and the kale, the vermicelli and the lame duck, not to mention the schmaltz and all the other ingredients from which we have prepared "Word Mysteries and Histories: From Quiche to Humble Pie."
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)But at least in chess, a zugzwang is only temporary, there's always another game.
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)[The Last Word] In Emerson's words, "Language is the archives of history."
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