It’s a Wonderful Word: The Real Origins of Our Favourite Words

by	Albert Jack

SKU: 9780099562320 Categories: History, Linguistics, Social History Tags: anthropology, before i knew, books for dad, books for men, business, caroline taggart, christopher de bellaigue, civilization, Civilizations, culture, economics, Education, feminism, german, gifts for history buffs, historical books, History, history book, history books, history books for adults, history gifts, history lovers gifts, history teacher gifts, how to, innovation, Jack the Ripper, jay heinrichs, language, language books, languages, linguistics, parenting, society, sociology, Steven Pinker, technology, thank you, world history, world history books, writing, WW2

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Did you know that an assassin is a hashish-eater and a yokel a country woodpecker? That Dr Mesmer mesmerised patients back to health or that Samuel Pepys enjoyed a good game of handicap? While we’re at it, what have spondulics to do with spines or lawyers with avocados?In It’s a Wonderful Word, bestselling author Albert Jack collects over 500 of the strangest, funniest-sounding and most delightful words in the English language, and traces them back to their often puzzling origins. While brushing up on your gibberish or gobbledygook, discover why bastards should resent travelling salesmen, why sheets should remain on tenterhooks and why you should never set down a tumbler before finishing your drink.From blotto to bamboozle and from claptrap to quango, Albert Jack’s addictive anecdotes bring the world’s most colourful language to life and are guaranteed to surprise and entertain.

Additional information

Weight	0.232 kg
Dimensions	1.8 × 12.9 × 19.8 cm
by	Albert Jack
Format	Paperback
Language	English
Pages	288
Publisher	Random House
Year Published	2012-7-5
Imprint	Arrow
Publication City/Country	London, United Kingdom
ISBN 10	0099562324
About The Author	ALBERT JACK is a writer and historian. His first book, Red Herrings and White Elephants, explored the origins of well-known phrases; an international bestseller, it was serialised by the Sunday Times for over a year. He followed up this success with a series of bestsellers including Shaggy Dogs and Black Sheep and Pop Goes the Weasel, a book exploring the dark histories and little-known meanings behind nursery rhymes.Fascinated by discovering the truth behind the world's great stories, Albert has become an expert in explaining the unexplained. He is now a veteran of hundreds of live television shows and thousands of radio appearances worldwide. He divides his time between Guildford and Cape Town.

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