Port Out, Starboard Home: And Other Language MythsPenguin, 2004 - 282 sider What is the true origin of the phrase 'one fell swoop'? Does the word 'honeymoon' really derive from an old Persian custom of giving the happy couple mead, a honey wine, for the first month after the wedding? The rapid growth of the internet and the use of email has increased the circulation of (usually) false tales about the evolution of language. In this entertaining and fascinating new book on the origins of words and expressions, Michael Quinion retells the mythic tales that have become popular currency - the word 'posh' deriving from 'port out, starboard home' - and also tries to find and explain the true stories behind the origins of phrases. Quinion offers explanations of why and how stories about words are created, and how misunderstanding word origins - while usually harmless - can have serious consequences. |
Vanlige uttrykk og setninger
abbreviation acronym actually appeared associated Australian ball of wax Barry Popik became Blue laws borrowed brass monkey Britain British called card shark certainly comes common confusion connection dates derives devil dialect drink Dutch early examples eighteenth century Eric Partridge etymologists etymology explain expression famous folk etymology French word Full Monty Gerald Cohen German idea invented Italian jazz kangaroo known language later Latin literally London looks meaning meant medieval mustard newspaper nickname nineteenth century Old English Old French older one's origin Oxford English Dictionary perhaps person phrase Popik popular posh Real tennis recorded reference rhyming slang Scots seems seventeenth century sixteenth century slang term sometimes sort spade Spanish spelling square story suggested supposedly sure teetotally theory there's no evidence Thomas Crapper told turned usually verb Whole nine yards widely word history writers York
Referanser til denne boken
Much Ado about English: Up and Down the Bizarre Byways of a Fascinating Language Richard Watson Todd Ingen forhåndsvisning tilgjengelig - 2006 |