Open The Cabinet of Linguistic Curiosities and you’ll find both a word and a day to remember, every day of the year. Each day has its own dedicated entry, on which a curious or notable event—and an equally curious or notable word—are explored. On the day on which flirting was banned in New York City, for instance, you’ll discover why to “sheep’s-eye” someone once meant to look at them amorously. On the day on which a disillusioned San Franciscan declared himself Emperor of the United States, you’ll find the word “mamamouchi,” a term for people who consider themselves more important than they truly are. And on the day on which George Frideric Handel completed his 259-page Messiah after twenty-four days of frenzied work, you’ll see why a French loanword, literally meaning “a small wooden barrow,” is used to refer to an intense period of work undertaken to meet a deadline. The English language is vast enough to supply us with a word for every occasion—and this linguistic “wunderkammer” is here to prove precisely that. So whatever date this book has found its way into your hands, there’s an entire year’s worth of linguistic curiosities waiting to be found.

The Cabinet of Linguistic Curiosities: A Yearbook of Forgotten Words

Reference

Jones, Paul Anthony

Almanacs & Yearbooks

University of Chicago Press

What makes a place so memorable that it survives forever in a word? In this captivating round-the-world tour, Paul Anthony Jones acts as your guide through the intriguing stories of how eighty places became immortalized in the English language. You'll discover why the origins of turkeys, limericks, Brazil nuts, and Panama hats aren't quite as straightforward as you might presume. If you've never heard of the tiny Czech mining town of Ja&#769;chymov--or Joachimsthal, as it was known until the late 1800s--you're not alone, which makes its claim to fame as the origin of the word "dollar" all the more extraordinary. The story of how the Great Dane isn't all that Danish makes the list, as does the Jordanian mountain whose name has become a byword for a tantalizing glimpse. We'll also find out what the Philippines has given to your office inbox, what Alaska has given to your liquor cabinet, and how a speech given by a bumbling North Carolinian gave us a word for impenetrable nonsense. Surprising, entertaining, and illuminating, this is essential reading for armchair travelers and word nerds. Our dictionaries are full of hidden histories, tales, and adventures from all over the world--if you know where to look. &nbsp;

Around the World in 80 Words: A Journey through the English Language

History

Americas

From aardvark to zenzizenzizenzic, Word Drops collects a thousand obscure words and language facts in one fascinating chain of word associations. Did you know, for example, that scandal derives from the Latin for "stumbling block" and originally described a trap for a wild animal? In nineteenth-century slang a wolf trap was a corrupt casino. Casino means "little house" in Italian. Roulette means "little wheel" in French. A wheeler is someone who attends auctions to bid on items merely to increase their sale price. Such links take readers on an unexpected journey through linguistic oddities. Inspired by the popular @HaggardHawks Twitter account, Word Drops also uses an intriguing series of annotations to add background and historical context on everything from Anglo-Saxon cures for insanity to Samuel Pepys's cure for a hangover. This unique book will delight anyone who loves language, etymology, and word games.
Not for sale in the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, or Canada

Word Drops: A Sprinkling of Linguistic Curiosities

Words, Language & Grammar

University of New Mexico Press

Did you know that 'Jedburgh justice' is executing someone first, then giving them a trial? Or that 'Kentish fire' is applauding sarcastically to silence your opponents? From Paul Anthony Jones, author of Haggard Hawks &amp; Paltry Poltroons, this is a fascinating guide to the origins and histories of 500 phrases and expressions, divided into fifty absorbing lists of ten - from 10 Phrases Derived From Places In London (like a 'Kent Street ejectment') to 10 Latin Phrases Used In English (like 'nunc est bibendum'); from 10 Shakespearean Expressions (like 'gild the lily') to 10 Phrases Taken From Comics &amp; Cartoons (like 'keeping up with the Joneses'); and from 10 Phrases Taken From Songs (like 'the birds and the bees') to 10 Ways of Saying 'Wow' (like 'great Scott!'). Here you'll find the story of how a flock of geese saved a city, how an apple started an argument, where the first Gotham City was, and why the tale of an unlucky saddler proves you should never turn down the offer of a drink. There's also a terrifically funny joke about a robbery gone wrong, and a terrifically bad joke about a chimpanzee and a parrot all waiting to be uncovered.

Jedburgh Justice and Kentish Fire: The Origins of English in Ten Phrases and Expressions

Humor & Entertainment

Humor

Little, Brown Book Group

Brimming with hidden histories and tantalizing twists, The Accidental Dictionary tells the extraordinary stories behind ordinary words. Our everyday language is full of surprises; its origins are stranger than you might think. Any word might be knocked and buffeted, subjected to twists and turns, expansions and contractions, happy and unhappy accidents. There are intriguing tales behind even the most familiar terms, and they can say as much about the present as they do the past. Busking, for instance, originally meant piracy. Grin meant to snarl. A bimbo was a man; nice meant ignorant; glamor was magic, and a cupboard was a table. Buxom used to mean obedient; a cloud was a rock; raunchy originally meant dirty. Focusing on one hundred surprising threads in the evolution of English, The Accidental Dictionary reveals the etymological origins and quirky developments that have led to the meanings we take for granted today. It is a weird and wonderful journey into words. So, let's revel in its randomness and delight in its diversity―our dictionary is indeed accidental.

The Accidental Dictionary: The Remarkable Twists and Turns of English Words

Dictionaries & Thesauruses

Pegasus Books

Brimming with hidden histories and tantalizing twists, The Accidental Dictionary tells the extraordinary stories behind ordinary words. Our everyday language is full of surprises; its origins are stranger than you might think. Any word might be knocked and buffeted, subjected to twists and turns, expansions and contractions, happy and unhappy accidents. There are intriguing tales behind even the most familiar terms, and they can say as much about the present as they do the past. Busking, for instance, originally meant piracy. Grin meant to snarl. A bimbo was a man; nice meant ignorant; glamor was magic, and a cupboard was a table. Buxom used to mean obedient; a cloud was a rock; raunchy originally meant dirty. Focusing on one hundred surprising threads in the evolution of English, The Accidental Dictionary reveals the etymological origins and quirky developments that have led to the meanings we take for granted today. It is a weird and wonderful journey into words. So, let's revel in its randomness and delight in its diversity―our dictionary is indeed accidental.

The Accidental Dictionary

From Monte Carlo to Shanghai, Bikini to Samarra, Around the World in 80 Words is a whimsical voyage through the far-flung reaches of the English language.What makes a place so memorable that it survives for ever in a word? In this captivating round-the-world jaunt, Paul Anthony Jones reveals the intriguing stories of how 80 different places came to be immortalised in our language.Beginning in London and heading through Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas, you'll discover why the origins of turkeys, Brazil nuts, limericks and Panama hats aren't quite as straightforward as you might presume. You'll also find out what the Philippines have given to your office in-tray; what an island with more bears than people has given to your liquor cabinet; and how a tiny hamlet in Nottinghamshire became Gotham City.Surprising and consistently entertaining, this is essential reading for armchair travellers and word nerds. Our dictionaries are full of hidden histories, tales and adventures from all over the world - if you know where to look.

Around the World in 80 Words: A Journey Through the English Language

Elliott and Thompson Limited

The Cabinet of Calm: Soothing Words for Troubled Times

Sometimes we all need a little reminder that it's going to be okay... Open The Cabinet of Calm to discover a comforting word that's equal to your troubles. The Cabinet of Calm has been designed to be picked up whenever you need a moment of serenity. Just select the emotion listed that reflects whatever you're feeling and you'll be offered a matching linguistic remedy: fifty-one soothing words for troubled times. These kind words--alongside their definitions and their stories - will bring peace, comfort, and delight, and provide fresh hope. Written with a lightness of touch, The Cabinet of Calm shows us that we're not alone. Like language, our emotions are universal: someone else has felt like this before and so there's a word to help, whatever the challenge. So much more than a book of words, The Cabinet of Calm will soothe your soul and ease your mind. It's the perfect gift. From inside The Cabinet Of Calm... 'RESPAIR': a word for a renewed or reinvigorated hope, or a recovery from anguish or hopelessness. 'WORLDCRAFT': a collective term for the unique skills, wisdom, and experience that an older person has amassed in their lifetime. 'MELIORISM': the belief that all things, no matter how bad, can always be improved - given enough determination from people willing to improve them. 'SYMMACHY': the act of joining or working together to produce a stronger force than could ever be managed individually - especially in order to overcome something that affects us all.

Self-Help

Elliott Thompson

Sometimes we all need a little reminder that it’s going to be okay…\nOpen The Cabinet of Calm to discover a comforting word that’s equal to your troubles. The Cabinet of Calm has been designed to be picked up whenever you need a moment of serenity. Just select the emotion listed that reflects whatever you’re feeling and you’ll be offered a matching linguistic remedy: fifty-one soothing words for troubled times. These kind words—alongside their definitions and their stories—will bring peace, comfort, and delight, and provide fresh hope. Written with a lightness of touch, The Cabinet of Calm shows us that we’re not alone. Like language, our emotions are universal: someone else has felt like this before and so there’s a word to help, whatever the challenge. So much more than a book of words, The Cabinet of Calm will soothe your soul and ease your mind. It’s the perfect gift.\nFrom inside The Cabinet Of Calm… ‘RESPAIR’: a word for a renewed or reinvigorated hope, or a recovery from anguish or hopelessness. ‘WORLDCRAFT’: a collective term for the unique skills, wisdom, and experience that an older person has amassed in their lifetime. ‘MELIORISM’: the belief that all things, no matter how bad, can always be improved—given enough determination from people willing to improve them. ‘SYMMACHY’: the act of joining or working together to produce a stronger force than could ever be managed individually—especially in order to overcome something that affects us all.

Why Is This a Question?: Everything about the origins and oddities of language you never thought to ask

Admittedly, that’ s probably a question that might never have occurred to you. But if you’ re even remotely interested in the origins and oddities of language, it’ s likely also a question you’ re now intrigued to know the answer to. Nor is it the only question: take a moment to think about how our language operates and even more spring mind. Why do these letters look the way they do? Why are some uppercase and others lowercase? Why are these words in this order? How are you understanding what these seemingly arbitrary shapes and symbols mean, while doubtless hearing them read to you in a voice inside your head? And what is this question mark really doing at this end of this sentence? Books explaining the origins of our most intriguing words and phrases have long proved popular, but they often overlook the true nuts and bolts of language: the origins of our alphabet and writing system; grammatical rules and conventions; the sound structure of language; and even how our brains and bodies interpret and communicate language itself. Why Is This a Question? is a fascinating and enlightening exploration of linguistic questions you’ ve likely never thought to ask.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Jones, Paul Anthony. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Jones, Paul Anthony

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Jones, Paul Anthony. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

The Cabinet of Linguistic Curiosities: A Yearbook of Forgotten Words

Around the World in 80 Words: A Journey through the English Language

Word Drops: A Sprinkling of Linguistic Curiosities

Jedburgh Justice and Kentish Fire: The Origins of English in Ten Phrases and Expressions

The Accidental Dictionary: The Remarkable Twists and Turns of English Words

The Accidental Dictionary

Around the World in 80 Words: A Journey Through the English Language

The Cabinet of Calm: Soothing Words for Troubled Times

The Cabinet of Calm: Soothing Words for Troubled Times

Why Is This a Question?: Everything about the origins and oddities of language you never thought to ask