The Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins (Facts on File Writer's Library)
Amazon.com Review: Seemingly designed for those with laser-focused attention or plenty of time on their hands, the Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins provides days of browsing for etymophiles. More than 9,000 entries, nearly a quarter of them new to this edition, cover slang, idiom, and commonly used words with interesting or curious histories. Ranging from a few sentences to half a page, the entries are consistently entertaining and well-researched, though author Robert Hendrickson acknowledges in his preface that "no good tale is omitted merely because it isn't true." (He does note apocrypha when appropriate.) The book pulls few, if any, punches, and nearly everyone will find at least one term or definition offensive; try "Irish beauty" for "a girl with two black eyes," for example. But, for every potentially offensive term, you'll find several hundred delights, such as "veronica" and "cut off your nose to spite your face." Though there's a slight trend toward Americanisms, there's plenty of British, Irish, and other varieties of English represented herein as well. While it is a terrifically useful reference work, it is nearly impossible to keep one's eyes from wandering, more so than with any other work of its kind. Still, a few extra minutes spent in the company of good words and good stories makes the Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins as pleasurable as it is useful. --Rob Lightner
Book Description: In this entertaining compendium, Robert Hendrickson, author of numerous popular works on language and literature, traces the sometimes bizarre and always fascinating origins and developments of more than 9,000 words and phrases, including slang, proverbs, animal and plant names, place names, nicknames, historical expressions, foreign-language expressions, and more. The emphasis throughout is on words and expressions with origins that are not adequately explained-or not addressed at all-in standard dictionaries. This greatly expanded and revised version of the critically acclaimed 1987 original offers more than 2,000 new entries, including:
paparazzi: Director Frederico Fellini named a hyperactive photographer in his film La Dolce Vita Signore Paparazzo, after Italian slang for "mosquito". The popularity of Fellini's film led to the widespread use of the term paparazzi for relentless swarms of celebrity-chasing photographers.
Quaaludes: The inventor of Quaaludes named his new drug after a contraction of quiet interludes-which he hoped it would induce.
toady: In the 17th century, conjurer's assistants would eat a toad, causing temporary illness that they would later "heal," thereby demonstrating their "miraculous" powers. The assistants came to be known as "toad-eaters," from which derives our modern insult toady.
Subjects: Reference works, Language Arts / Linguistics / Literacy, English, Etymology, Encyclopedias, Reference, Dictionaries, English language, Terms and phrases,
An idiom and wordsmith wonderland
...Writer's and teachers's of the English language will love this publication...as well as anyone who has pondered "where did that saying come from?"Or "Why do we say that" It gives an enjoyable and great incite into the slang and idioms we use daily.
The Facts on File encylopedoa Word and Phrase Orgins
Excellent book. My students and I enjoy looking up phrases and words in class
Not a good reference tool
This book is interesting if you just want to read through and learn some interesting facts about word origins. It's not been a good resource for me for looking up meanings.
I've tried to use it as I would use a dictionary. When I hear a phrase, I often wonder what it means. Just this morning I wanted to look up "anchor to the wind". I was pretty sure I wouldn't find it. I didn't. I did learn that the "ch" in the middle of the word anchor is confusing, and that it was added in error. That's interesting to know, but not helpful for learning the meaning of a phrase I've heard used.
I can't remember previous examples that I've looked up, but my impression is that most time that I try to look something up, I can't find it. I don't know of a better book to recommend as a reference, but I do know that I've been disappointed with this book for that purpose.
The Letters Are Also PICTURES-Oh yes they are!
Like all LINGUISTS I am forever a student and I did enjoy Mr. Hendricksons book, BUT, I would like to show a shortcoming of this book that exists in all linguistic books except my own. The alphabet is pictoral let's look at the origins of a simple word SHIP. Mr.Hendrickson does not have the slightest inkling that the letters of this word define how the word was invented. The S is used to make the HULL of the ship as well as the curved WHITECAPS. The H and I are superimposed over each other to make a grid pattern of four squares which become the sail and the mast. The P is the rudder. I would recommend my book in addition to his, check out www.lulu.com/content/749397 and welcome to the world of ALPHABETICAL HIEROGLYPHICS. Stephen Kellogg Brooks For free samples proving that the ALPHABET IS HIEROGLYPHIC Go to: www.esnips.com/web/oldbuccaneer584-public and welcome to my world.
Intrigue!
The intrigue arises because I cannot pick up this book without getting caught up in something on every page. It's truly fascinating and I'm reading about things that I never even knew I was interested in!
