The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll Through the Hidden Connections of the English Language (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780425260791)

This perfect gift for readers, writers, and literature majors alike unearths the quirks of the English language. For example, do you know why a mortgage is literally a "death pledge"? Why guns have girls' names? Why "salt" is related to "soldier"? Discover the answers to all of these etymological questions and more in this fascinating book for fans of of Eats, Shoots & Leaves.

The Etymologicon is a completely unauthorized guide to the strange underpinnings of the English language. It explains how you get from "gruntled" to "disgruntled"; why you are absolutely right to believe that your meager salary barely covers "money for salt"; how the biggest chain of coffee shops in the world connects to whaling in Nantucket; and what, precisely, the Rolling Stones have to do with gardening. This witty book will awake the linguist in you and illuminate the hidden meanings behind common words and phrases, tracing their evolution through all of their surprising paths throughout history.

Author: Mark Forsyth
ISBN-10: 0425260798
ISBN-13: 9780425260791
Publisher: Berkley Books
Language: English
Published: 10/02/2012
Pages: 304
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.50lbs
Size: 7.70h x 5.00w x 0.90d

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 09/01/2012