The secret lives of words
By: Paul West.
Edition: 1st ed.
Publisher: Harcourt
Published: 2000
Place of publication: New York
Language: eng
Number of pages: 296
Subjects: English language -- Etymology -- Dictionaries
Genres: Dictionaries.
Description: "Here's the book that satisfies your curiosity, charms you with its oddities, and, above all, shows how precious and complex words are. These foot soldiers of language are usually classified and fossilized by grammarians and writers of dictionaries. With his "Antiques Road Show" approach, Paul West puts a special shine on his favorite words as he tracks their wonderful history through the centuries and across the continents."--BOOK JACKET.