Most of my life had been spent in scifi where race is simply not an issue, or in science books of various types where race is only discussed in relation to genetics. Where those weird sayings we use every day come from. A surprisingly enjoyable read that, well, does exactly what it says on the label. No, you didnt already know this one, because it didnt originate from lewis carolls alice in wonderland. Many, if not most, of the words have been added as a result of questions or suggestions from readers of the site. The most comprehensive singlevolume reference of its kind, the facts on file encyclopedia of word and phrase origins, fourth edition has been completely updated and expanded and now contains definitions and origins of more than 15,000 words and expressions. Buy the origins of words and phrases readers digest book.
Encyclopedia of word and phrase origins edition 4 by robert. Todays deals your gift cards help whole foods registry sell disability customer support. Jun 26, 20 the word originated as a neutral term referring to black people, as a variation of the spanishportuguese noun negro, a descendant of the latin adjective niger color black. I know the meaning of this idiom, and idioms are used as they are, but idioms often have stories behind. Imagine what this world would be like saddleback college. Nigger the word, a brief history african american registry.
Seven words and phrases with racist origins lifehacker australia. The phrase computer bug has been around for a long time, but was it created due to an incident involving a real insect. A swoop is the sudden descent of a bird of prey on its victim. If blacks are going to go about slinging the nword around at one another and they. Its origins date from the 17th and 18th centuries well before lewis carolls book was published. Readers digest the origins of words and phrases by angus. The original meaning of the n word had a connotation connected to the gods the word nig. He notes that words like honky, kike, wetback, and gook do not seem to capture. The negative portrayals of blacks were both reflected in and shaped by everyday material objects. The use of the phrase n word was created as a euphemism, and the norm, with the intention of providing an acceptable replacement and moving people away from using the specific word. This is an updated encyclopedia that explores the origins of thousands of words and phrases. Word origins was the first computer bug a real insect. As much as wed like to pretend every phrase we utter is a lone star suspended in.
The word, of course, is nigger, and in this candid, lucidly argued book the distinguished legal scholar randall kennedy traces its origins, maps its multifarious. Morris dictionary of word and phrase origins by william and mary morris harpercollins, new york, 1977, 1988. What i like most about this book is that it is written in an easily accessible, almost friendly manner with a good history of each word s origins whilst including all the necessary constituents and bits necessary to further research the paths and conduits of modern language that the word took. Etymology, the study of word origins, derives from the philosophical tradition which is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics. The first edition of the morris dictionary of word and phrase origins detailed the fascinating and little known stories behind thousands of words and phrases that we use every day. Phrases from the bible the single book that has given more sayings, idioms and proverbs to the english language than any other. Each entry provides details on the etymological origin of a word or a phrase, retells stories about where it may first have been spoken, and explains its evolution over time. Nword definition is how to use nword in a sentence. The words and phrases are selected because their origins are inherently interesting or because some bit of folklore, sometimes true and sometimes false, is associated with the origin.
That is a difficult question which might not have any easy answers. Nautical phrases ahoy there, me hearties, heres the language that came from our nautical friends. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. This book is in the etymology category more etymology books. The facts on file encyclopedia of word and phrase origins. What our everyday sayings and idioms figuratively mean, unlocks the surprising origins of some of our most popular phrases. Pdf the history of the infamous nword in terms of political.
The origins of words and phrases readers digest and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. By the book whats the meaning of the phrase by the book. In the english language, the word nigger is an ethnic slur typically directed at black people. We have a list full of hundreds of phrases and sayings. Dictionary of word and phrase origins by william morris and mary morris editors anyone interested in the english language will be fascinated by and then obsessed with this dictionary that reads like an erudite gossip column for the city of words. The facts on file encyclopedia of word and phrase origins writers. Readers digest the origins of words and phrases book. Ngger is what white people not only called slaves to make them less human, but still call blacks to be offensive until this day. If you like words and their origins, this is a fabulous book. This is one in a series of four books two mostly sayings and two wordsphrases by mr. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Lets make a deal on the nword according to john mcwhorter of the root, we need to strike a deal. Apart from exploring the linguistic facets of nigger, such as the etymology, level. Macduff utters the words on hearing of the death of.
The etymologies of common words with straightforward explanations can be found in any good dictionary and i do not attempt to reproduce them here. It tells where these comes from, and what they really mean. List of books and articles about word origins online. One of the most offensive words in the english language, it has become a term of fellowship in american hiphop culture. Arranged in alphabetical order for handy reference, this book contains more than 3,000 everyday words and expressions. In and of itself, etymology isnt a terribly important or necessary fieldknowing the origins of words and phrases isnt going to save lives improve anyones quality of life, it wont even help you become a better writerbut it can reveal fascinating. Word, a 2001 book by the harvard law professor randall kennedy. This is the list, some 400 word and phrase origins. The phrase originally meant swift and brutal murder, and was first used in macbeth. Oct 31, 2016 the n word, ngger or ngga, should not be written from history, but black people should be educated on the word today. It dates back to the time of the classical greeks, who were interested in the development of alphabetic writing.
Jun 26, 2014 tsundoku is an informal japanese word that refers to the act of buying books and letting them pile up, unread. An alphabetically arranged reference contains the definitions and origins of more than 15, 000 words and expressions. There are several theories to the origins of this phrase. The encyclopedia emphasizes words and phrases not fully. In origins of the specious, you say the nword is derived from latin. More than 9,000 entries over 2,000 new to this revised and expanded edition provide information and anecdotes on the origin and development of a wide range of words and phrases, including slang, nicknames, historical expressions, and more.
Asked in books and literature, math and arithmetic, numbers do you write the number seven as a word or as a numeral. Imagine what this world would be like without words. The phrase originates with 1 the fact that gravy is an automatic byproduct when you cook a roast. The strange career of a troublesome word has difficulty tracing the origins of the word, tracing the first known protoreference to 1619, but notes that the word and its variants remained in use right up until the current day although not always with the exact same connotation. Macduff utters the words on hearing of the death of his wife and children. Simply choose a letter to start exploring, or choose one of the categories below. That may be so, as the early meaning of the phrase was i swear it to be true, as in the oaths taken in courtrooms. A list of words that contain book, and words with book in them. It is professional enough to satisfy academic standards, but accessible enough to be used by anyone. Hendrickson, who has authored a number of books for the publisher, rightly points out in the preface that this work is subjective, as much of its content is speculative or based on his opinion. Words, phrases or sayings origins, meanings by brownielocks.
The oed is a generally useful resource for finding the origins of english words, but. The facts on file encyclopedia of word and phrase origins writers reference robert hendrickson on. These changes would add little to the civil rights laws now on the books. A circular stroll through the hidden connections of the english language by mark forsyth, the mother tongue. Although, as aptly noted by kennedy 2003, the book actively promotes. There is not a way to neutralize the emotion and history behind the word in any context. The use of the phrase nword was created as a euphemism, and the norm, with the. Fell is from the old french word fel, meaning merciless. The site has become a favorite resource of teachers of reading, spelling, and english as a second language. The online etymology dictionary is the internets goto source for quick and reliable accounts of the origin and history of english words, phrases, and idioms. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Yet that fellowship only extends to those who have been accorded n word privileges. Buy dictionary of word and phrase origins 2nd revised edition by morris, william, morris, mary isbn.
This page brings back any words that contain the word or letter you enter from a large scrabble dictionary. And a fourth is that the names are derived from a tuareg phrase for the river. For other uses, see nigger disambiguation and nword disambiguation. In this new edition, william and mary morris update and expand their classic work to keep pace with our ever changing language.
Scholars who study the history of word origins are known as ethnologists. The words negro, nigger, and nigga have always been a. Laid out in an az format with detailed cross references, and written in a style that is both authoritative and accessible, word origins is a valuable historical guide to the english language. Bibliography of sources of etymologies or english word. In 17th century france, poisoning occurred among hat makers who used mercury for the hat felt. For anyone seeking an engaging, entertaining, and thoroughly readable work on word histories the dictionary of word and phrase origins could not be more highly recommended. Encyclopedia of word and phrase origins edition 4 by. Books phrase meaning and origin the meanings and origins. Etymology books dictionary of word and phrase origins. Phrases and sayings with meanings and origins explained. From new words such as bling and email to the role of.
The use of books or written charters was introduced in anglosaxon times by the ecclesiastics, as affording more permanent and satisfactory evidence of a grant or conveyance of land than the symbolical or actual delivery of possession before witnesses, which was the method then in vogue. New book reveals the odd origins of our most popular phrases. The facts on file encyclopedia of word and phrase origins book. He begins chapter one, the protean nword, by retracing the origin of. Could it be that in the old days people used slates of rocks to write on. Buy the origins of words and phrases readers digest book online at best prices in india on. A bibliography of etymology sources of english words from latin and greek word origins. Morris dictionary of word and phrase origins 0001594862869. Origins of the n word essay 79 words 6 pages the words negro, nigger, and nigga have always been a sensitive topic, yet it is a topic that needs to be addressed in light of the more common use of its vernacular. Their origins and meanings reprint by neil ewart isbn. Phrases coined by shakespeare the bard of avon, he gave us more words and expressions than anyone else.
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