Where Words Come From by Fred Sedgwick
Did you know that 'aardvark' comes from the South African for 'earth pig'? Or that 'assassin' actually comes from the Arabic for 'smoker of hashish'? This book explains why 'bungalow' comes from Hindi and what exactly 'hello' is short for. It is also a guide to the fascinating origins of everyday words.
"Fred Sedgewick has a way with words.. Present the average schoolboy with a new dictionary and chances are his first thought will involve looking up rude words. Old headmaster Fred Sedgewick's new book on word origins is a temptation too far for me. And I'm not disappointed: he hasn't chickened out" Steven Russell, East Anglian Daily Times
"In a 'dip into' guide to the origins of the everyday speech we learn the stories behind thousands of words. Tackling the topic in an anedoctal yet thorough manner, Sedgwick's upbeat work is the etymological dictionary for everyone" AK, Manchester Evening News, 27 June 2009
"This is an enlightening and accessible guide to some of the many thousands of intriguing anecdotes that form the most colourful part of the history of the English Language - the story of where , over centuries of migration, trade and conquest , our words actually come from. Where else could you learn that the word 'aardvark' comes from the Afrikaans for 'earth pig' , or unravel the origins of that most mysterious greeting 'hello'? In a fascinating blend of scholarship and informative entertainment, Fred Sedgwick explores our linguistic heritage with delightfully humorous and intriguing results, in this marvellous treasure trove of etymological curiosity" GoodBook Guide, 1 July 2009
"Sedgwick's book is a fascinating A-Z of where words come from...This would be useful to anyone who is interested in words, where they come from and how to use them." Irish News, September 2009
"Mr. Sedgwick's book is friendly, accessible, informative and chatty...It's a fun book." Writing Magazine, October 2009
"In a 'dip into' guide to the origins of the everyday speech we learn the stories behind thousands of words. Tackling the topic in an anedoctal yet thorough manner, Sedgwick's upbeat work is the etymological dictionary for everyone" AK, Manchester Evening News, 27 June 2009
"This is an enlightening and accessible guide to some of the many thousands of intriguing anecdotes that form the most colourful part of the history of the English Language - the story of where , over centuries of migration, trade and conquest , our words actually come from. Where else could you learn that the word 'aardvark' comes from the Afrikaans for 'earth pig' , or unravel the origins of that most mysterious greeting 'hello'? In a fascinating blend of scholarship and informative entertainment, Fred Sedgwick explores our linguistic heritage with delightfully humorous and intriguing results, in this marvellous treasure trove of etymological curiosity" GoodBook Guide, 1 July 2009
"Sedgwick's book is a fascinating A-Z of where words come from...This would be useful to anyone who is interested in words, where they come from and how to use them." Irish News, September 2009
"Mr. Sedgwick's book is friendly, accessible, informative and chatty...It's a fun book." Writing Magazine, October 2009
Fred Sedgwick is a poet, former headteacher and the author of many books in the areas of literature, expressive arts, education and creativity.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9781847062741 |
| ISBN 10 | 1847062741 |
| Title | Where Words Come From |
| Author | Fred Sedgwick |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing PLC |
| Year published | 2009-05-10 |
| Number of pages | 224 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |