Strange to say : etymology as serious entertainment / Deborah Warren.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Warren, Deborah, 1946- author.

Contributor:

Espaillat, Rhina P. (Rhina Polonia), 1932- dedicatee.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Language and languages--Etymology.

Language and languages.

Historical lexicology.

Linguistic change.

Physical Description:

x, 194 pages : illustrations ; 22 cm

Edition:

First Paul Dry Books Edition.

Place of Publication:

Philadelphia : Paul Dry Books, 2021.

Summary:

"In her witty account of the origins of many English words and expressions, Deborah Warren educates as she entertains-and entertain she does, leading her readers through the amazing labyrinthian history of related words. "Language," she writes, "is all about mutation.""-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

Machine generated contents note: COMING TO TERMS

1. In a Word: Evolution

2. Double-Speak: Anglo-Latin

3. From the Word Go: Word Gets Around

4. Putting Words in My Mouth: Eat Your Words

5. Buzz Words: Liquor

6. Speaking Ill Of

7. Say It with Flowers

8. Too Funny for Words: Laughter

9. Bespoke: Clothes and Cloth

10. Walk the Talk: Wandering

AS GOOD AS YOUR WORD

11. Speak of the Devil

12. Speak No Evil: Religion

13. Baby Talk: Children

14. What's the Magic Word? Fortune-telling

15. The Last Word: Death

TALK THE HIND LEG OFF A DONKEY

16. Cat Got Your Tongue?

17. Tongues Wag: Canines

18. The Horse's Mouth

NAME-CALLING

19. In Name Only: Family Names

20. On a First-Name Basis: To Name Names

21. Talk of Many Things: Cabbages

-and Kings: Pedigree and Politics

22. Talk of the Town: Place Names

23. Take My Word for It: Malaprops and Mondegreens (A Media Circus)

IN SO MANY WORDS

24. Take a Number

25. Prison Terms

26. Pay the Piper, Call the Tune

27. Speaking of Which: Pronouns

28. Play on Words: Sports

29. The Name of the Game: Talking Points

30. In Glowing Terms: Colors

31. Say When: Telling Time

32. Body Language: From Hand to Mouth

33. Strange to Say.

Notes:

Dedicated to Rhina Espaillat.

ISBN:

9781589881570

1589881575

OCLC:

1227085946