- Hardcover: 512 pages
- Publisher: OUP Oxford; 2 edition (22 Oct 2009)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0199547920
- ISBN-13: 978-0199547920
- Product Dimensions: 19.6 x 13.8 x 3.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 493,413 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Plus, get an extra £5 Gift Certificate when you trade in books worth £10 or more before June 30, 2012. Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. |
Product details |
Product Description
Review
This Oxford dictionary of word origins will get a lot of use from a language-loving relative. (Sunday Times )
Product Description
Combining both accessibility and authority, The Insect That Stole Butter? describes the origins and development of over 3,000 words and phrases in the English language. The book draws on Oxford's unrivalled dictionary research programme and language monitoring, and relates the fascinating stories behind many of our most curious terms and expressions in order to offer the reader a much more explicit account than can be found in a general English dictionary. Organized A-Z, the entries include first known use along with examples that illustrate the many faces of the particular word or phrase, from 'handsome' to 'bachelor' and 'cute' to 'baby', from 'pagan' to 'palaver' and 'toff' to 'torpedo'. Also featured are almost 20 special panels that cover expressions common in English but drawn from other languages, such as 'coffee', 'sugar', and 'candy' from Arabic or 'booze', 'brandy', and 'gin' (Dutch). This absorbing volume is useful for language students and enthusiasts, but also an intriguing read for any person interested in the development of the English language and of language development in general. Includes an extended introduction on the history of the English language.
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Entertaining short items so depending on "how long you like to loiter" you can read just one or two entries or a couple of pages (no more or there'll be a queue outside the door!)
You could describe it as an etymological dictionary but that makes it sound too much like a reference work. It's an entertaining read and will last a few years in the toilet! (I don't mean "a good toilet book" to sound disparaging, merely that its something easy to dip into for just moments or minutes - oh dear, "toilet" and "dip into" - that sounds wrong!).
You could describe it as an etymological dictionary but that makes it sound too much like a reference work. It's an entertaining read and will last a few years in the toilet! (I don't mean "a good toilet book" to sound disparaging, merely that its something easy to dip into for just moments or minutes - oh dear, "toilet" and "dip into" - that sounds wrong!).
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
2 reviews
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Fun Resource
14 April 2010
Format:Hardcover
This is a fun book and will be a good resource to look up word origins.
Great walk through word etymology!
12 Sep 2010
Format:Hardcover
Recently received this book as a gift from my daughter (she know I love to read any kind of reference book). What a great book! Beyond the origins of 100's of words, there is a great etymon list in the front that give some of the origins and meaning of commonly used prefixes and suffixes. There are also special sections dedicated to words originating with specific cultures (Dutch, Arabic, etc.). There is another book by the same editor called 'From the Horses Mouth' that deals with idiom origins. As soon as I finish this one, I getting that one!
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
