The Secret Life of Words

Communication is essential to our lives, but how often do we stop to think about where the words we use have come from? Have you ever thought about which words in English have been borrowed from Arabic, French or Dutch? Try admiral, landscape and marmalade just for starters. The Secret Life of Words is a wide-ranging account not only of the history of English, but also of how words witness history, reflect social change and remind us of our turbulent past. Henry Hitchings delves into our promiscuous language and reveals how and why it has absorbed words from more than 350 other languages many originating from the most unlikely of places, such as shampoo from Hindi and kiosk from Turkish. From the Norman Conquest to the present day, Hitchings narrates the story of English as an archive of our human experience and uncovers the secrets behind everyday words. This is a celebration of our language; after reading it, you will never again take the words we use for granted.

ISBN 0719564557   Pages 448 ISBN13 9780719564550 (What's this?)   Weight (grammes) 290 Publisher John Murray General Publishing Division   Published in London Imprint John Murray Publishers Ltd   Height (mm) 198 Format Paperback   Width (mm) 132 Publication date 02 Apr 2009   Spine width (mm) 29 DEWEY 420.9   Academic level General DEWEY edition DC22

'Hitchings's excavations are a treat. He presents the best gleanings of academia in a winning, conversational style. Almost every spadeful yields an etymological nugget ... elegantly and entertainingly written' -- Financial Times '[It] disentangles an intriguing narrative from a mass of information, revealing the distinct cultural climates that produced certain words and bearing witness to an increasing global language, always morphing into something new' -- Guardian 'A fascinating exploration of the rich borrowings, exchanges and couplings of the language' -- Ben Macintyre, The Times 'Hitchings delves into words, resurfacing with their surprising origins' -- The Times 'It is a book that brings etymology fizzingly alive ... it teems with vivid, quirky evidence of the way the English vocabulary bears continuing witness to our cultural history' -- Sunday Times 'His book is a patient, thorough and highly entertaining excavation' -- Sunday Times 'Hitchings's examples cover the full span of English' -- Observer 'Expert analysis ... this is a wonderfully well-organised and entertaining book, which thoroughly deserved to win last year's John Llewellyn Rhys Prize' -- Daily Mail 'Hitchings has teased out the stories lurking behind the language to provide a most satisfying whole' -- Publishing News 'Much more than a collage of etymological trivia, this is a dense and thorough excavation of the stories that lie behind the words we say' -- Metro 'Quite how Hitchings has managed to wrestle this dizzying mountain of dense information into such an elegant narrative ... is a feat almost as admirable as that of the great lexicographer. His book is painstakingly detailed, closely argued and suffused with a contagious enthusiasm for the secrets woven into the fabric of our words -- Daily Telegraph 'Hitchings steps deftly round the traps and the stereotypes, while throwing up great clouds of delicious trivia' -- Peter Robins, Daily Telegraph 'Filled with fascinating nuggets' -- Independent 'A thrilling narrative history of our uniquely beautiful and thriving language' -- Catholic Herald 'Comprehensive guide ... with countless revelations and world-related trivia, this is the often surprising story of the words we take for granted' -- Heritage 'This is a hugely informative and non-academic account' -- Sunday Tribune 'Fascinating subject ... a detailed, comprehensive study ...there are lots of surprises, and the author's enthusiasm is infectious. An entertaining and informative read' -- Shropshire Star 'Much more interesting than a simple dictionary of etymology' -- Writing Magazine 'Marvellous, scholarly and beautifully written, quite the best of its kind I have read in years ... wise and witty' -- Oldie 'Wonderfully detailed history ... a rich and rewarding read' -- Good Book Guide 'The author's deliverings reveal much that intrigues about our history and about our social environment' -- This England 'Hitchings's excavations are a treat. He presents the best gleanings of academia in a winning, conversational style. Almost every spadeful yields an etymological nugget ... elegantly and entertainingly written' -- Financial Times '[It] disentangles an intriguing narrative from a mass of information, revealing the distinct cultural climates that produced certain words and bearing witness to an increasing global language, always morphing into something new' -- Guardian 'A fascinating exploration of the rich borrowings, exchanges and couplings of the language' -- Ben Macintyre, The Times 'Hitchings delves into words, resurfacing with their surprising origins' -- The Times 'It is a book that brings etymology fizzingly alive ... it teems with vivid, quirky evidence of the way the English vocabulary bears continuing witness to our cultural history' -- Sunday Times 'His book is a patient, thorough and highly entertaining excavation' -- Sunday Times 'Hitchings's examples cover the full span of English' -- Observer 'Expert analysis ... this is a wonderfully w

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