Verbivore S Feast

What led to the expression ?let the cat out of the bag Why do we call blondes ?towheads For Pete's sake, what is a fangle? In this humorous and engaging collection of word origins and histories, the famed host of the ?Chrysti the Wordsmith? series (heard on Yellowstone Public Radio, Montana Public Radio, Montana State University's KGLT-FM, and Armed Forces Radio and Television Service) shares the stories behind the words. This irresistible medley is a must for word lovers everywhere.

In this companion edition to her popular Verbivore's Feast, Chrysti the Wordsmith, host of the much-loved radio show of the same name, once again examines the evolution and history of the English language, using the odd expressions and cliches that pepper it. Exploring words such as lollygag and quack, and phrases ranging from break a leg to shake a stick and from Adam's apple to trip the light fantastic, Chrysti the Wordsmith uncovers the fascinating stories about their origins.

What led to the expression "let the cat out of the bag"? Why do we call blondes "towheads"? For Pete's sake, what is a fangle? In this humorous and engaging collection of word origins and histories, the famed host of the Chrysti the Wordsmith series (heard on Yellowstone Public Radio, Montana Public Radio, Montana State University's KGLT-FM, and Armed Forces Radio and Television Service) shares the stories behind the words. This irresistible medley is a must for word lovers everywhere.

In what other language, asks Lederer, do people drive on a parkway and park in a driveway, and your nose can run and your feet can smell? In CRAZY ENGLISH, Lederer frolics through the logic-boggling byways of our language, discovering the names for phobias you didn't know you could have, the longest words in our dictionaries, and the shortest sentence containing every letter in the alphabet. You'll take a bird's-eye view of our beastly language, feast on a banquet of mushrooming food metaphors, and meet the self-reflecting Doctor Rotcod, destined to speak only in palindromes.

In this rollicking romp through the bountiful world of words (Minneapolis Star), the bestselling author of Crazy English and More Anguished English takes readers on a logoleptic thrill ride through the beauties and perplexities of the language, spiking the text with irresistible mind scramblers.

"Those who tell stories rule society." Plato So who today are our principal storytellers? Not philosophers, but filmmakers. For those who know both the enormous entertainment potential and the culture-shaping power of film, this book will stir mind and imagination. For great stories freight world-sized ideas, ideas worthy of contemplation and conversation. Great cinema inspires wonder. But another philosopher, Aristotle, reminds us that wonder is the true source of philosophy. So perhaps Plato or Aristotle might have a shot at ruling society, even today--if they took an interest in film. These fourteen essays consider classic and current films together with several major philosophical themes, all within the context of Christian faith: (1) the human condition, (2) the human mind and the nature of knowing, (3) the moral life, and (4) faith and religion. Citizen Kane, Big Fish and Pretty Woman contribute to an in-depth consideration of the human condition. The Truman Show, The Matrix, Being John Malkovich and It's a Wonderful Life, among others, illuminate reflection on the human mind and the nature of knowing. Looking at the moral life, contributors interact with such notable films as Pleasantville, Bowling for Columbine, Mystic River and The Silence of the Lambs. The final section pursues the theme of faith and religion traced through a number of Hong Kong martial arts films, Contact, 2001: A Space Odyssey and U2's music documentary Rattle and Hum. A veritable film festival for all those who want to nurture the wonder of philosophical inquiry and the love of Christian theology through an engagement with the big ideas on the big screen.

Idioms are everywhere whether you break a leg, make a mountain out of a molehill, or let the cat out of the bag and they spice up English in the most delightful way. Mastery of idioms promotes fluency and lively, colorful self-expression. And now, with Exploring Idioms, you can use them to develop your students¿ critical-thinking skills, too. In Exploring Idioms, Valeri Helterbran provides opportunities for middle-grade students to actively work with and connect to 120 common American idioms, as well as more than 300 related idiomatic phrases students can investigate on their own. The critical-thinking activities in Exploring Idioms give you an easy and effective way to begin or end the day, to prepare students to respond to questions about idioms on state assessments, and to help ELL students master this difficult English-language concept while having fun at the same time. Have your students put on their thinking caps and explore the creative world of idioms.

Word lovers will delight in this collection of unusual, useful words and their definitions by a man William Safire calls "ek-Stror-di-ner-ee". "Anyone who enjoys playing with the English language will find this compendium charming and at times hysterical".--"Booklist".