Word Drops: A Sprinkling of Linguistic Curiosities

Word Drops: A Sprinkling of Linguistic Curiosities
Paul Anthony Jones
Our Price:
NZ$ 22.99
Paperback
h198 x 129mm - 224pg
13 Jun 2019 UK
International import eta 7-19 days
9781783964376
Out Of Stock
Currently no stock in-store, stock is sourced to your order
The former Greek currency, the drachma, literally means 'handful'. ? The 'bowl' formed by cupping your hands is called a gowpen; the amount it holds is called a yepsen. ? The earliest known reference to a bowling alley dates from 1555. ? During the First World War, Germans were nicknamed Alleymen. ? In Navajo, Germany is called Beech Bich'ahii Bikeyah - or 'metal cap-wearer land' - Word Drops is an intriguing and surprising compendium of 1000 facts about words, language and etymology. Leading us through a smattering of unexpected connections and weird juxtapositions, Paul Anthony Jones reveals facts and tidbits about words that reveal much, too, about cultures and histories around the world. Each 'drop' leads in some way to the next; and many are enhanced by discursive and entertaining footnotes, taking the reader off into wild flights of fancy about Tudor England, for example, before leading on to the First World War and the Navajo language. This is an immensely pleasurable and unpredictable collection that is guaranteed to raise eyebrows (the literal meaning, incidentally, of supercilious).
'Very jolly and all fascinating stuff. I'm sure it will solve a lot of people's Christmas present problems. Or it certainly should do.' - Jonathon Green, lexicographer & author of Green's Dictionary of Slang 'For the bookish, the wordists, the nerdists, the swots... Paul Anthony Jones has compiled you the most absorbing and fascinating dip-in tome you will find all year ... Word Drops is very much a book to dip in and out of. It's a series of endless (but linked) words, coupled to their origins, meanings and a quantity of footnotes so great that they would put even David Foster Wallace to shame. [...] Word Drops is a nerdist's paradise. An intricately researched and elegantly put together collection of wordy nuggets. I challenge you to flick through the book, open it at any page and not find something worth sharing with someone else.' - blogger MadamJ-Mo 'Fantastic' -- blogger Moose Allain 'it's hard to imagine anyone not being charmed by this breezy medley of self-contained yet interconnected miscellany. Once you pick up the string, you'll be tempted to keep pulling till you reach the end, and how quickly that takes may depend chiefly on how often you stop to share its contents with a neighbour.' - blogger Stan Carey 'It's one of those hidden gems which sits quite comfortably on a book shelf until you need a little nugget of knowledge, and then once you dip into it you will be immediately be enthralled, not just by the goodies on offer, but also the way in which the book is presented. And as each fascinating fact drops into another one, very soon, the diversity and richness of language starts to enthral and really, I promise you, once started, you won't be able to stop to reading.' -- blogger Jaffareadstoo 'This is a lovely addition to anyone's bookshelves especially those who love words and their origins ... is an excellent little book' -- Atticusfinsch on Goodreads 'If words were calories, this book would have you breaking the scales. To support my outrageous claim I refer you to urban legends which assert that certain brands of savoury snacks have 'something in them' which makes the brain crave more and more until the whole packet is gone. Whatever that something is, Paul Anthony Jones has imbibed plenty of it before compiling this endearing little book.' -- blogger Richard Littledale 'A succinct, charming assemblage of unusual words' -- Greg Jenner, author of A Million Years in a Day. Finally on Twitter, Word Drops continues to get a lot of support, including: Ian McMillan @ImcMillan (Radio Presenter, Writer, Man About Town): Enjoying this fascinating new book Word Drops by Paul Anthony Jones; joy for the language-addicted! Lucy Jones @Lucyjones (Journalist. NME / Telegraph alumnus, sometimes on BBC): So much delight Stig Abell @StigAbell (Managing Editor at The Sun): I got sent this book by @HaggardHawks; it is brilliant for anyone interested in the effervescent oddness of English.
Paul Anthony Jones is the author of several books on trivia and language, including The British Isles: A Trivia Gazetteer, Haggard Hawks & Paltry Poltroons and its sequel, Jedburgh Justice & Kentish Fire. He has written for the Guardian and is a regular contributor to the Huffington Post and Mental Floss. A piano teacher and musician, he lives in Newcastle.
Status: Active
ISBN-13: 9781783964376
Published: 13 Jun 2019
Published In: United Kingdom
Imprint: Elliott & Thompson
Publisher: Elliott & Thompson
Format: Paperback
Height: 198mm
Width: 129mm
Pages: 224

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