"Millions of people want to know the origin of the words they use. Word columns in daily newspapers and numerous books attempt to satisfy their curiosity. Word histories are usually digested like pills: the user is interested in getting well, not in the chemistry of the prescribed medication. Those who send letters to the Editor also want a straight answer without bothering about how "editors" come by their knowledge. Therefore, they fail to realize that etymologies are seldom definitive and that the science of etymology is intensely interesting. Perhaps if someone explained to them that, compared to the drama of words, Hamlet is a light farce, they might develop a more informed attitude toward philological research and become students of historical linguistics rather than gullible consumers of journalists' pap." This is how Anatoly Liberman begins Etymology for Everyone, the only guide to the science and process of etymology for the layperson. This funny, charming, and conversational book not only tells the known origins of hundreds of words, but also shows how their origins were determined. Liberman, a world-renowned etymologist, takes the reader by the hand and explains the many ways that English words can be made, and the many ways in which etymologists try to unearth the origins of words. Part history, part how-to, and completely entertaining, Etymology for Everyone invites readers behind the scenes to watch an etymologist at work.
Word Origins And How We Know Them:Etymology for Everyone
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Learn more. |
Book Description
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
Prof. Liberman's excellent book would make a fine Christmas present for anyone interested in the history of the English language. (Irish Times, )
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
About the Author
Anatoly Liberman is Professor of the Humanities at the University of Minnesota. For the past seventeen years, he has been working on a new etymological dictionary of English.
--This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I very much enjoyed reading this - it's full of interesting material, engagingly presented. BUT, it badly needs proofreading - a disappointment to find this from such a respectable publisher. Is it the author's responsibility or the publisher's? Somehow it's fallen between the two stools here ...
By jbm
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a book for academics, but certainly not for the layman, and it is misleading to recommend it as if it is on a par with the justifiably popular Etymologicon.
The author, having made his own etymological dictionary, has seen fit to list his own laboured excursions into the recondite recesses of of the subject, wading through a swathe of scholarly debates, which he seems to think we should find edifying - a hope undermined by his ponderous style.
The author, having made his own etymological dictionary, has seen fit to list his own laboured excursions into the recondite recesses of of the subject, wading through a swathe of scholarly debates, which he seems to think we should find edifying - a hope undermined by his ponderous style.
4 of 19 people found the following review helpful
A Kid's Review
Format:Paperback
did you know? ....... that's where that word originated from! learn from this book the origns of certain words and their meanings derived from their first use in day to day life.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 5 reviews
3.2 out of 5 stars
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
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.
|
