The Etymologicon
2012 • 279 pages
Ratings14
Average rating4
15
Ratings14
Average rating4
Springing from writer and journalist Mark Forsyth's hugely popular blog The Inky Fool and including word-connection parlour games perfect for any word-lovers get-together, The Etymologicon is a brilliant map of the secret labyrinth that lurks beneath the English language. There's always a connection. Sometimes, it's obvious: an actor's role was once written on a roll of parchment, and cappuccinos are the same color as the robes of a Capuchin monk. Sometimes the connection is astonishing and a little more hidden: who would have guessed that your pants and panties are named after Saint Pantaleon, the all-compassionate?
Reviews with the most likes.
Fun, but British English. I had never heard of several of the phrases used in the book, but the writing style was a level of snark I can truly appreciate.
Interesting and full of cocktail-party-friendly tidbits. But generally tedious. It's the same joke over and over. Witty, yes. Pedantic, absolutely. Dots well-connected? No. It's etymology without the ology. Not systemic. Simply a barrage of facts confused by word play. Read only with care.
Loved rereading this, but this time as the audiobook. The narrator got the tone perfectly and I burst out laughing several times (not ideal when walking along the street...)
A breathtaking ride through the origins of words we use every day and don't even suspect what they really mean.
If you're seriously interested in etymology, this is not a good book for you. But for a curious layman this possibly is the best choice.
