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 99
... whereas , clearly , there was always a predecessor for a word , could we but find it . In truth , many of the words whose etymology we know turn out to be rather dull ( word , for in- stance ) , quite without vicissitudes or bizarre ...
... whereas , clearly , there was always a predecessor for a word , could we but find it . In truth , many of the words whose etymology we know turn out to be rather dull ( word , for in- stance ) , quite without vicissitudes or bizarre ...
Página 140
... whereas impeached is blocked in your tracks , stopped . Conceivably , then , a president might be impeded by his past , but not in an absolute sense , whereas one who has been im- peached - well , he has been well and truly prevented ...
... whereas impeached is blocked in your tracks , stopped . Conceivably , then , a president might be impeded by his past , but not in an absolute sense , whereas one who has been im- peached - well , he has been well and truly prevented ...
Página 160
... whereas an emily is a broad , or a flood with only one lamp , hence a single broad . LOAF In Cockney rhyming slang , this word means head from the rhyme with " loaf of bread . " It is also a verb , meaning to idle or lounge about ( in ...
... whereas an emily is a broad , or a flood with only one lamp , hence a single broad . LOAF In Cockney rhyming slang , this word means head from the rhyme with " loaf of bread . " It is also a verb , meaning to idle or lounge about ( in ...
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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 |