Origin uncertain : unraveling the mysteries of etymology /
We like to recount that goodbye started out as 'god be with you,' that whiskey comes from the Gaelic for 'water of life,' or that avocado originated as the Aztec word for 'testicle.' But there are many words with origins unknown, disputed, or so buried in old journals t...
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| Format: | eBook |
| Language: | English |
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New York, NY :
Oxford University Press,
[2024]
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Connect to the full text of this electronic book |
| Summary: | We like to recount that goodbye started out as 'god be with you,' that whiskey comes from the Gaelic for 'water of life,' or that avocado originated as the Aztec word for 'testicle.' But there are many words with origins unknown, disputed, or so buried in old journals that they may as well be lost to the general public. In 'Origin Uncertain', eminent etymologist Anatoly Liberman draws on his professional expertise and etymological database to tell the stories of less understood words such as nerd, fake, ain't, hitchhike, trash, curmudgeon, and quiz, as well as puzzling idioms like kick the bucket and pay through the nose. By casting a net so broadly, the book addresses language history, language usage (including grammar), history (both ancient and modern), religion, superstitions, and material culture. |
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| Item Description: | Also issued in print: 2024. |
| Physical Description: | 1 online resource. |
| Audience: | Specialized. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| ISBN: | 9780197664940 0197664946 9780197664933 0197664938 9780197664926 019766492X |