Did you know that the word "travel" is derived from an instrument of torture? That "tragedy" originally was something to do with goats? That "grammar" and "glamour" started out as one and the same word? These and many other fascinating and surprising tidbits about the history of words are
revealed in this delightful volume, many culled from interviews first aired on CBC Radio 1, featuring the "Word Lady," Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Oxford Dictionary, Katherine Barber.
In the lively, witty, and entertaining style that has won her so many fans in Canada and around the world, Katherine distills the rich information contained in the immense Oxford English Dictionary to create intriguing and entertaining little histories of hundreds of the most common (and
interesting) words in our language.
The words are arranged thematically by season. Readers can frolic through the many words from the barnyard, the garden, and the cottage in the Spring, feast on Summer's fruits and all of the colourful stories to be found there, gear up for back-to-school by learning the truth behind algebra,
grammar, and dunces, and discover the real reason that Christmas shopping is always such a feverish pursuit. Along the way, you'll follow words back through Old English, medieval French, Anglo-Saxon, ancient Greek, Latin, Arabic, as well as the languages of China, the Indian subcontinent, and
Canada's Aboriginal peoples.
With its accessible conversational style and captivating content, Katherine Barber's Six Words You Never Knew Had Something to Do with Pigs is a book readers will want to dip into time and again - that is, if they can ever put it down.
Authors
- Control Number Identifier
- CaOOCEL
- Dewey Decimal Classification Number
- 422
- Dewey Decimal Edition Number
- 22
- General Note
- Includes indexes Issued as part of the desLibris books collection
- ISBN
- 0195424409 9780195434613
- LCCN
- PE1574
- LCCN Item number
- B37 2006eb
- Modifying agency
- CaBNVSL
- Original cataloging agency
- CaOONL
- Physical Description | Extent
- 1 electronic text (xvi, 224 p. :)
- Published in
- Canada
- Publisher or Distributor Number
- CaOOCEL
- Rights
- Access restricted to authorized users and institutions
- System Control Number
- (CaBNVSL)slc00223310 (OCoLC)753341573 (CaOOCEL)432143
- System Details Note
- Mode of access: World Wide Web
- Transcribing agency
- CaOONL
Table of Contents
- Contents 6
- Preface 8
- Bluff Your Way in Etymology 9
- SPRING 18
- Down on the Farm 19
- Give Me a Break! 26
- Hallelujah! 34
- Easter Bonnets 37
- Birds of a Feather 39
- The Taxman Cometh 42
- Bringing Down the Budget 48
- Opening Up the Cottage 53
- The Rake's Progress 55
- Good Stuff Cheap 58
- SUMMER 62
- A Matter of Degree 63
- Here Comes the Bride 67
- Eating Out on Canada Day 74
- The Dog Days of Summer 80
- Preserving Summer's Bounty 83
- Hitting the Road 88
- Tennis, Anyone? 94
- Stormy Weather 96
- Hard to Keep Them Down on the Farm 99
- Fore! 102
- FALL 106
- Back to School 107
- Games Children Play 118
- Teen-Speak 121
- Shall We Dance? 123
- On Stage 127
- Music to Our Ears 130
- The Hunt Is On 133
- Thanksgiving 136
- Batter Up! 140
- Diwali 145
- Remembrance Day 148
- Sale! Hurry in! 157
- Beyond the Advent Calendar 162
- Only 24 Shopping Days Left 166
- WINTER 170
- Wassail, Wassail, All over the Town 171
- Bundle Up! 181
- Happy New Year! 187
- New Year's Babies 195
- Chinese New Year 199
- Auld Lang Syne 202
- Place Your Bets 204
- Flu Season 206
- Be Mine 213
- With Easter Fast Approaching 217
- The Envelope, Please 219
- Lots of Hebrew Words 221
- RRSP Season 224
- Index 1: Words 228
- A 228
- B 228
- C 228
- D 229
- E 229
- F 229
- G 230
- H 230
- I 230
- J 231
- K 231
- L 231
- M 231
- N 231
- O 231
- P 231
- Q 232
- R 232
- S 232
- T 233
- U 233
- V 233
- W 233
- Y 233
- Index 2: Languages 234
- A 234
- B 235
- C 235
- D 235
- E 235
- F 235
- G 237
- H 238
- I 238
- J 238
- L 239
- M 240
- N 241
- O 241
- P 241
- S 241
- T 241
- U 241
- Y 241
