The Secret Lives of WordsHarcourt, 2000 - 296 páginas We are often unaware of the unique and intriguing stories of the words we love. Thousands of our words have been so twisted, tangled, misused, and muddled over the centuries that their original meaning has been obscured. You'll be surprised to learn that table napkins were once made of and referred to as asbestos, that atom means uncuttable, that a cloud was once a hill, and that a companion is one who eats bread with you. Compiled over the years in his handwritten notebooks, acclaimed prose stylist Paul West offers us an album of treasures. The Secret Lives of Words is an "Antiques Road Show" of language, in which West chronicles the centuries-long travels of words across continents and through cultures. For word enthusiasts, speakers, writers, thinkers, and all readers, this volume recounting the intimate ancestry of language will enrich our understanding of and appreciation for the words we use every day. |
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Página 140
... verbs toured through English , they parted from each other , for different purposes . Impedire was clearly a useful verb to the Romans , coming to mean also , in the past par- ticiple impeditus , hindered , embarrassed , and awkward ; a ...
... verbs toured through English , they parted from each other , for different purposes . Impedire was clearly a useful verb to the Romans , coming to mean also , in the past par- ticiple impeditus , hindered , embarrassed , and awkward ; a ...
Página 234
... verbs , when people write " galvanize's . " Perhaps they intend a delicious pause as the noun teeters be- tween singular and plural , the verb croaks a bit before assuming a tense and a number , a person and and intention . Nervousness ...
... verbs , when people write " galvanize's . " Perhaps they intend a delicious pause as the noun teeters be- tween singular and plural , the verb croaks a bit before assuming a tense and a number , a person and and intention . Nervousness ...
Página 260
... verb such as fero , ferrere , tuli , la- tum ( see thunk ) . The whole idea of a mood's invading verb form appealed to the nascent expressionist in me , especially the im- pact of verbs that insist or demand , that wish fervently or ...
... verb such as fero , ferrere , tuli , la- tum ( see thunk ) . The whole idea of a mood's invading verb form appealed to the nascent expressionist in me , especially the im- pact of verbs that insist or demand , that wish fervently or ...
Otras ediciones - Ver todas
Términos y frases comunes
actually American appear asked ball became become begin bread British called century changes close comes common course cricket denote deriving dictionaries doubt early English especially etymology expression fact feel fiction fire force French German gerund give goes Greek hand hard head hear heard human idea Indo-European Italy keep kind known language late Latin least less letters LIVES OF WORDS look lost meaning meant Middle mind never noun Old English Old French once origin past PAUL WEST perhaps person phrase piece play poet reference Romans SECRET LIVES seems sense slang someone sometimes sound speech suggests sure term thing thought tion trying turn universe verb whereas woman wonder word's write
Referencias a este libro
Dubious Doublets: A Delightful Compendium of Unlikely Word Pairs of Common ... Stewart Edelstein Vista de fragmentos - 2003 |