The Oxford Dictionary Of Word Histories

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

Why did a Roman soldier connect the word salary with salt? The Oxford Dictionary of Word Histories describes the origins and sense development of thousands of core words of the English language; dates are given where recorded evidence of use has been found sourced by the ongoing research for the Oxford English Dictionary. Additional word histories outside this core group are included for words with a particularly interesting story to tell and links between words are given where these enhance the picture. A key feature of the book is the inclusion of a large number of well-known idioms with dates of original use with details of how and when they came about: for example happy as a sandboy, and say it with flowers. Colourful popular beliefs are explored about words such as posh and snob, while insights are given into our social history revealed by language development. The notion of 'relationships' is central and highlights the following: DT shared roots (e.g. stare and starve both from a base meaning be rigid) DT common ancestry (mongrel related to mingle and among) DT surprising commonality (wage and wed) DT typical formation (blab, bleat, chatter, gibber, all imitative of sounds) DT influence by association DT shared wordbuilding elements (hyperspace, hypersonic, hyperlink) with boxed information on the various meanings of the prefix in question.

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.

Examines the hidden history through which the Oxford English Dictionary came into being in a study that traces the personal battles involved in chronicling an ever-changing language.

Demonstrates that the Oxford English Dictionary is an international product in both its content and its making.

Trialled and tested in schoolsFor the first time a comprehensive dictionary of word origins will be available for all school students.Each headword entry gives a complete and fascinating story about how a particular word came into the English language and evolved over time. In addition, each headword entry includes meanings and how each word is used in context.It also includes 40 extended panels covering a range of themes like:* Other languages which gave vocabulary to the English language form Arabic and Australian-Aboriginal to Urdu and Yiddish* Acronyms (AIDS, NATO), eponyms (Wellingtons), invented words (nylon, spoof), shortened words (photo, exam), blends (motor and hotel became motel) and folk etymology* Subjects students are interested in, ranging from food and drink, animals, sports, space, to first names and illnesses

This wide-ranging dictionary contains a wealth of information on all aspects of history, from prehistory right up to the present day. Over 4,000 clear, concise entries include biographies of key figures in world history (living and dead), separate entries for every country in the world (summarising key historical events), and in-depth entries on religious and political movements, international organizations, and major conflicts and events and their after-effects. For this new edition, existing entries have been revised and updated to reflect the very latest global events including changes in leadership, wars, political situations, and the statistical information given for each country (population counts, currency, languages, religions). New entries have been included for key figures who have recently come to prominence and world events. The book also contains twenty-five detailed maps linked to key historical events and topics. These include the African slave trade, the Black Death, and the Normandy campaign. Also included are over 200 country maps. The dictionary is enhanced by entry-level web links which are accessed via a dedicated companion website. Encyclopedic in scope, this ambitious A to Z provides an excellent overview of world history both for students and anyone with an interest in the subject.

Written in a funny, charming, and conversational style, Word Origins is the first book to offer a thorough investigation of the history and the science of etymology, making this little-known field accessible to everyone interested in the history of words. Anatoly Liberman, an internationally acclaimed etymologist, takes the reader by the hand and explains the many ways that English words can be made, and the many ways in which etymologists try to unearth the origins of words. Every chapter is packed with dozens of examples of proven word histories, used to illustrate the correct ways to trace the origins of words as well as some of the egregiously bad ways to trace them. He not only tells the known origins of hundreds of words, but also shows how their origins were determined. And along the way, the reader is treated to a wealth of fascinating word facts. Did they once have bells in a belfry? No, the original meaning of belfry was siege tower. Are the words isle and island, raven and ravenous, or pan and pantry related etymologically? No, though they look strikingly similar, these words came to English via different routes. Partly a history, partly a how-to, and completely entertaining, Word Origins invites readers behind the scenes to watch an etymologist at work.