The Origins of English Words

Author: Joseph Twadell Shipley
Publisher: JHU Press
ISBN: 0801896436
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 688

Book Description
There are no direct records of the original Indo-European speech. By comparing the vocabularies of its various descendants, however, it is possible to reconstruct the basic Indo-European roots with considerable confidence. In The Origins of English Words, Shipley catalogues these proposed roots and follows the often devious, always fascinating, process by which some of their offshoots have grown. Anecdotal, eclectic, and always enthusiastic, The Origins of English Words is a diverting expedition beyond linguistics into literature, history, folklore, anthropology, philosophy, and science.

The Roots of English

Author: Robert Claiborne
Publisher: Anchor
ISBN: 9780385414272
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 356

Book Description
Robert Claiborne gives readers a short history of the English language to show how most of the words we use today evolved from a single taproot language called Indo-European. This book is a must for all word buffs and language lovers; an intelligent and uniquely accessible examination of our vocabulary by a recognized authority.

Word Origins...And How We Know Them

Author: Anatoly Liberman
Publisher: OUP USA
ISBN: 0195387074
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 335

Book Description
A guide to the science and process of etymology for the layperson explains how the origins and history of hundreds of words are determined, discussing such topics as folk etymology, changes of meaning in language history, borrowed words, and the methods of etymology.

The Origins of English Words

Author: Joseph Twadell Shipley
Publisher: JHU Press
ISBN: 9780801867842
Category : Foreign Language Study
Languages : en
Pages : 688

Word Origins

Author: John Ayto
Publisher: A&C Black Business Information and Development
ISBN: 9780713674989
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 576

Book Description
The average contemporary English speaker knows 50,000 words. Yet stripped down to its origins, this apparently huge vocabulary is in reality much smaller, derived from Latin, French and the Germanic languages. It is estimated that every year, 800 neologisms are added to the English language: acronyms (nimby), blended words (motel), and those taken from foreign languages (savoir-faire). Laid out in an A-Z format with detailed cross references, and written in a style that is both authoritative and accessible, Word Origins is a valuable historical guide to the English language.

Oxford Dictionary of Word Origins

Author: Julia Cresswell
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 0199547939
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 514

Book Description
Contains alphabetically arranged entries that explore the origin, evolution, and social history of over three thousand English language words.

English Words from Latin and Greek Elements

Author: Donald M. Ayers
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
ISBN: 9780816508990
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 316

Book Description
Presents an overview of the development of the English language and examines the formation of words especially from Greek and Latin roots. Also discusses definitions and usage.

Where Words Come From

Author: Fred Sedgwick
Publisher: A&C Black
ISBN: 1847062741
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 442

Book Description
An invaluable guide to the fascinating origins of everyday words crafted into pithy annecdotes and facts.

Dictionary of Word Origins

Author: Jordan Almond
Publisher: Citadel Press
ISBN: 9780806517131
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 292

Book Description
This dictionary gives the intriguing origins of hundreds of everyday words and expressions. Useful for reference and fun just for browsing, Dictionary of Word Origins is also a great way to expand vocabulary and enjoy doing it.

Oxford English Dictionary

Author: John A. Simpson
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 9780195218893
Category : Reference
Languages : en
Pages :

Book Description
The Oxford English Dictionary is the internationally recognized authority on the evolution of the English language from 1150 to the present day. The Dictionary defines over 500,000 words, making it an unsurpassed guide to the meaning, pronunciation, and history of the English language. This new upgrade version of The Oxford English Dictionary Second Edition on CD-ROM offers unparalleled access to the world's most important reference work for the English language. The text of this version has been augmented with the inclusion of the Oxford English Dictionary Additions Series (Volumes 1-3), published in 1993 and 1997, the Bibliography to the Second Edition, and other ancillary material. System requirements: PC with minimum 200 MHz Pentium-class processor; 32 MB RAM (64 MB recommended); 16-speed CD-ROM drive (32-speed recommended); Windows 95, 98, Me, NT, 200, or XP (Local administrator rights are required to install and open the OED for the first time on a PC running Windows NT 4 and to install and run the OED on Windows 2000 and XP); 1.1 GB hard disk space to run the OED from the CD-ROM and 1.7 GB to install the CD-ROM to the hard disk: SVGA monitor: 800 x 600 pixels: 16-bit (64k, high color) setting recommended. Please note: for the upgrade, installation requires the use of the OED CD-ROM v2.0.