Product Description
The book offers a comprehensive treatment of Classical Armenian nouns as transmitted in the 5th century Bible translation. Beside a synchronic classification and functional investigation of the individual stem classes, suffixes and nominal compounds, the main stress has been laid on the historical evaluation, in particular in connection with the inherited formational types and isolated, lexicalized relics.

The historical-comparative approach to the Armenian material hasresulted in a number of new suggestions and modifications of earliertheories, summarized in two sections on the general development ofIndo-European into Armenian, one on phonology and one on morphologywhere an occasional tentative glimpse at the pre-history of theproto-language is ventured.

The non-indigenous parts of the vocabulary, mostly Iranian loanwords and words of a more or less obscure origin, are listed in appendices. ... Read more

Product Description
Why do we call the best of something 'the bees' knees'? Where did the term 'barmy army' come from? Which 'colours' do we 'nail to the mast'? How are we ever 'dressed to the nines'? Why do we refer to New York as 'The Big Apple'?There are hundreds of phrases that we use on a daily basis without having a clue about where most of them come from. This book is nothing short of a fascinating ride around the greatest language in the world.So stop getting up to skullduggery, take a pew and have a butcher's at this little tome. Learn about your language in one fell swoop and make sure you never get caught red handed using words you don't understand to bark up the wrong tree! This book really is the cat's whiskers. Once you've read one entry, you'll want to read them all! ... Read more

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One of a series of reference books for the young browser and wordsmith, with amusing illustrations. This is an A-Z guide to word origins which seeks to encourage a love of and interest in the English language. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Some jokes that can still be aired, others best left sealed
This "dictionary" is based on wordplay and in many ways demonstrates the different mindset of the years at the start of the twentieth century. Humorous definitions are put forward for many words and these definitions are a look back to that time. The author takes a stab at wealth, the ownership class, the minds of women, foreigners and minorities. Some examples are:

Money - society's vindication of vulgarity
Mine - a hole in the ground owned by a liar
Intuition - a fictitious quality in females - really suspicion.
Adore - from add, annex, and ore, meaning wealth. Example, foreign nobles who marry American heiresses adore them.
Negro - one who votes your way N****r - one who doesn't.

If you have an interest in the comedy of a century ago, then this book may interest you. There are some jokes that are still worthy of airing, however, many are best left sealed.

... Read more

Product Description
Did you know they started 'hearing through the grapevine' during the American Civil War? It was a reference to the telegraph lines used for communicating with the army. These looked like twisted grapevines. And why does the phrase now suggest unreliable information? Because the lines were used by enemy troops to send false battle reports.

Similarly, 'deadline' has a rather disturbing and extremely sinister origin. Again originating in the American Civil War it refers to an actual line drawn in the dirt or marked by a fence around prisoners. If the prisoners crossed this line the guards would shoot to kill.

And of course, "Cut to the quick," originally meant a sword blow that cut through the armor and into the flesh beneath.

Jam-packed with many amazing facts, Stickler's Sideburns and Bikinis is an intriguing and entertaining trip through the words and phrases that originated in the military but are now used by soldier and civilian alike. The sources of many are surprising and their original use is often far removed from how we use the word today. From 'duds' to 'freelancers' and'morris dancing' to 'snooker' this enthralling book describes the military origins of words that we all use without thought on a daily basis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Excellently Entertaining
I don't know about you, but some of the first things that I consider when purchasing a book, especially one that is essentially a reference book, is who wrote it and why.After which I try to determine what their approach was in ferreting out the information that they set forth in their book.

The answer to the first question, is that Graeme Donald was/is a newspaper columnist with a love of words and word-play.He wrote for "Today" magazine for 10 years, among others, as well as played the key role in devising questions for a word-y game show for the BBC.

I have not uncovered the answer to the question "why" Mr. Donald wrote this book, although I have to say that he seems quite the word enthusiast, and perhaps that is enough.

The answer to the third, and most important question, is that he appears to have been sufficiently vigorous in trying to ascertain his definitions.Donald began with the standard reference sources and primary works, and then branched out to ask the experts.And he didn't restrict his research to university professors, but went to whomever appeared to have the most knowledge, even if it was a retired engineer in Leeds --listed in the ASLILB Director of Information Sources in the United Kingdom-- who specializes in all things catapult.

To give you an idea of his approach, I'll tell you a little about what he says about Amazons.He starts out by giving the modern usage: "Statuesque woman and a South American river".After that Donald points out what academicians have thought over the centuries.Everything from the once popular academic notionof such lofty figures as Skeat, Brewer and Gibson, that the name derived from the Greek "mazos" or "without a breast" and that some sort of cauterization was implied; to the suggest that perhaps the term came from another Greek word that means "without cereal" implying that perhaps these women were nomads rather than disfigured.Other derivations are considered, before Donald settles down to the Old Persian work "hamazon" which simply means "a warrior".

He supports that notion by pointing out that there were female Persian warriors and that archeologists and anthropologists have dug their gravesites.

He goes on at some length to explain why the river was named Amazon, as well as how the story of the fierce warriors percolated through European history... but I won't.Instead I'll say that I thought he did a good job of elucidating and clarifying the origins of these military derived words.

Conclusions :::
This is a wonderful, funny book.Donald's sense of humor is marvelous and his book is not only useful and authoritative, but there isn't a thing boring about it.

That said, it cannot REALLY be considered a definitive 'library-style', R-section, reference book because there aren't footnotes.An excellent place to start, however.

Good resource.Excellently entertaining.Obviously I liked it.I gave it 4.5 Stars.


Pam T.
for PageInHistory

Lots of trivia, lots of fun - well worth your time!
'Sticklers, Sideburns & Bikinis' is a collection of words with military origins, and their history and dissemination into the common vernacular. Author Graeme Donald is very thorough in his explorations; for each word he provides its definition - both at the time of origin and in our modern language - and how that word evolved in the intervening years. Take, for example, his report on the origin of the word `buff':

Buff: Enthusiast.
In the 17th century a buff coat, made of any stout leather, formed the main part of a soldier's defensive garb and continued to do so in America until the turn of the 20th century. A good buffalo hide coat was the closest thing a trooper had to body armor.
Before fire brigades were regulated forces, fire-fighting duties fell to soldiers in local barracks who found their buff coats effective fire-protection and the additional pay most welcome; there were frequent and unkind reports blaming acts of arson on local soldiers greedy for fire bonus payments, but that is another matter. The professional fire-fighters who emerged in 1850s America were irked by the constant appearance of those they called "Buffs," soldiers turning out to fires to "help" but only succeeding in getting in the way. By 1900 the term had broadened in firefighters' jargon to include the kind of person who turned out regularly to watch some poor person's house burn down, and from this term rolled out into general parlance to denote enthusiasts in any field: film buff, opera buff, and so on.

Donald brings a subtle humor to many of his entries, all of which are crammed with little stories and facts about military. But he takes his research one step further by embracing the larger world outside the military to fully explain the evolution of each word. For example, in his entry for `ninja' Donald reveals that the word is of Western origin, a combination of two Chinese words. He continues to unravel the mystery of the ninja, examining the truth behind the myth of Japan's shinobi.

Trivia buffs, military enthusiasts and word nerds will have a lot of fun exploring the hundreds of words in 'Sticklers, Sideburns & Bikinis.' The length of each entry varies, but reading about a few words each day will keep you entertained for quite a while. Scattered throughout there are also several black and white illustrations.

On-target, smart mix of fun and fact
As a lover of word origins, I have often been disappointed by books about the birthplace of common phrases and expressions. They are either too brief, confusing or arch for my taste. But Graeme Donald's "Sticklers, Sideburns and Bikinis" blends history, humor and insight in just the right proportions, and at just the right length. Better yet, it does so with a narrative impulse that helps make sense of the world outside the words. Take the word "target" for instance. This word once described a small, round shield. It came to mean a small round, well, target, that one use for practice. But how did the transformation occur? "Sticklers" brings us to the mid-18th century, when the ascendancy of firearms was making shields useless. The devices were piling up in military warehouses until someone had the bright idea to hang them on a tree and invite townsmen to come hit the target. Now, the word itself means any point or object at which one aims a projectile -- whether physical or verbal.

This is the kind of memorable storytelling that shows "Sticklers, Sideburns and Bikinis" at its best. I also appreciated the fact that Donald allowed certain words to retain their murky and confused origins; absolute certainty about etymology is often a sign of lazy research. "Sticklers" is not above exploding hallowed myths, such as the likelihood that the Black Hole of Calcutta -- in which over 100 British soldiers were said to have suffocated -- was a propaganda ploy by the British East India Company to win popular support for a military mission to help it regain a foothold in India. Whoa.

A great book, well and smartly researched -- on such solid ground that it occasionally contradicts the established verities of the OED. The only regret I have is that it limited itself to words with clear military origins. Another book, Mr. Donald. Please! ... Read more

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Australian Aboriginal Words in English records the Aboriginal contribution to Australian English and provides the fullest available information about their Aboriginal background and their Australian English history. ... Read more

Product Description
Each headword gives a complete and fascinating story about how a particular word came into the English language and evolved over time. In addition, each headword entry includes meanings and how each word is used in context. ... Read more

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This volume combines three reference works, "The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Quotations", "The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs" and "The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins". The dictionary of quotations has been revised and updated, maintaining extensive coverage of literary and historical quotations. It contains over 9000 quotations from nearly 2000 authors; new appendices have been added on Sayings of the Nineties, Slogans and Popular Misquotations, bringing the dictionary fully up to date. A useful keyword index helps the reader to trace quotations and their authors. The dictionary of proverbs covers sayings from "the more the merrier" to "there's no such thing as a free lunch", with over 1000 of the best-known English proverbs from around the world. For this second edition, many new quotations have been added to illustrate the proverbs, and over 100 proverbs are included for the first time. A new thematic index helps you find proverbs on subjects ranging from bee-keeping to stress. The dictionary of word origins is Based on "The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology" in a concise edition comprising over 17,000 entries.It contains a wealth of information about our language and its history, including the origins for "assassin" (from the Arabic for hashish-eater), "nice" (which meant foolish or stupid in the 13th century, and coy or shy in the 15th) and "shrapnel" (named after its inventor, General Henry Shrapnel). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent Writing
A really informative introduction to Darwin, his ideas, his works, and his impact on science and society. Young people will get a great deal out this volume and will find it perfect for writing reports or preparing for classroom discussions. On the other hand, adults unfamiliar with Darwin's ideas will benefit from the author's impressive job organizing and explaining some potentially difficult to understand material. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Excellent reference book!
No, I haven't read the whole thing, but I do use it to research the origins of words and phrases.So far, I haven't stumped it yet...everything I've looked up--there's been an entry.

However, there isone caveat.You get caught up in reading one description and continue on,then it refers you to another one, and so on until you've spent an hoursurfing through the book just for the heck of it. ... Read more

Product Description
From the creator of the popular A.Word.A.Day e-mail newsletter

A collection of some of the most interesting stories and fascinating origins behind more than 300 words, names, and terms by the founder of WordSmith.org.

Did you know:
There’s a word for the pleasant smell that accompanies the first rain after a dry spell? Petrichor, combining petros (Greek for stone) and ichor (the fluid that flows in the veins of Greek gods).

An illeist is one who refers to oneself in the third person.

There’s a word for feigning lack of interest in something while actually desiring it: accismus.

For any aspiring deipnosophist (a good conversationalist at meals) or devoted Philomath (a lover of learning), this anthology of entertaining etymology is an ideal way to have fun while getting smarter. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

A really cool book that I read and gave as a gift too
The Dork, Diglot.......is a great book especially if you like words--and I do. I read it cover to cover and the author even sent a signed bookplate. I gave it as a gift at Christmas and it was much appreciated.
I recommend this author of "Wordsmith" and his new book!

Words, words, words
I gave this book to a friend who, like me, enjoys words.
She loved it.
t

Delightful
A delightful meander through the etymology of something we take for granted daily. Fuel your brain and astound your peers at the same time.

`Each word has a story'
The Word a Day eMail and newsletter are welcome deliveries into my inbox.The two previous Word a Day books are already on my bookshelf, and when I heard about this one, I had to have it as well.

This book is a delightful collection of some of the lives and origins of words.Why, I wonder, is the word `prepone' in everyday use in India, but not elsewhere?Most of us have had meetings either preponed or postponed but few of us used preponed instead of `brought forward'.

My personal favourite word in this collection (today, anyway) is `resistentialism'.This is the theory that inanimate objects demonstrate hostile behaviour towards us.A theory?No, I think it is irrefutably true.

As I browse through the book, I see some old favourites such as `oleaginous'.If I was a musician, I would undoubtedly be aware that a hemidemisemiquaver describes an eighth of a quaver.

There are some neat little puzzles in the book as well: What is the only state in the USA that has the whole USA in it?

If you enjoy the wonderful world of words, you may wish to make space for this book on your bookshelf.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Fun
I bought this as a present but I peeked at it before wrapping.Then I wanted it for myself.It's fun and covers very unusual words. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR’d book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more