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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2013 10:08:13 GMT 10
My son put me onto this collection. Comprising two books by Mark Forsyth, the first volume 'The Etymologicon' explores the origins of some curious words in English and cleverly segues between chapters. Example... 'Botulism' derives from the Greek word for 'sausage' since it was noted in the early days, those who suffered the disease had frequently just consumed the sausages of dubious quality of the day. By a quirk of coincidence, the bacterium discovered centuries later is indeed sausage shaped!
The second volume, 'The Horologicon' ( which I am yet to read) examines unusual and lost words.
An entertaining read for those fascinated by the origin of some of our most curious words.
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Post by pim on Jan 2, 2013 11:39:05 GMT 10
Any examples, grim? Of curious words? "Crepuscular" is a favourite of mine. It's from the French "crépuscule" = twilight. "Pulchritudinous" is another - from the Latin "pulcher" = beautiful. I've always noticed that "aardvark" is considered a very weird word, but I've never found it strange. Apparently it's a loan word from Afrikaans for a mammal endemic to that country. It deconstructs very easily for me into two Dutch words meaning "earth pig" Go figure!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2013 13:52:00 GMT 10
Pim Your two words are favorites of mine because, together with bucolic, they are words which don't sound pleasant like the pleasant things they give name to. Crepuscular sounds like a blood disorder and bucolic a bad case of reflux!
But I digress...
Speaking of botulism, he mentions Botox, and toxin...which he goes on to in the next chapter. Toxin derives from Greek , 'toxon' meaning arrow...from the days when arrows were dipped in poison. A 'toxophile' is a lover of archery.
I think the more curious words are in the second volume which I am yet to read. Any curiosities I encounter I will post here.
Incidentally, my son tried to convince me to buy the boxed set for $60, but was loathe to outlay so much for two smallish books. I went onto the Kobo site and downloaded both for under $15 for my e reader. Little wonder book stores are closing...have you noticed, though the significant reduction in the price of books in stores in the last twelve months?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 21, 2013 22:04:51 GMT 10
I love this word... 'Uhtceare' ( oot-key-ar-a) Anglo-Saxon ...uht-dawn, ceare-care Basically it refers to those hours you lay awake before dawn worrying about stuff. "You look a wreck!" "Yeah, crappy sleep. Bad case of Uhtceare"
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