Comfortable Words

by Bergen Evans, Tomi Ungerer (Illustrations)

What makes a fee nominal ? Why do the English call private schools public schools? Are you nauseated or nauseous ? Delightful as a cover-to-cover read or as an intermittent browse, this captivating book discusses and dissects the history and meaning behind hundreds of common words and expressions. Witty illustrations accompany its engrossing explanations of the distinctions of catchup, catsup, and ketchup ; the pronunciation of foyer ; the source of the grape in grapefruit ; and other intriguing terms.
Acclaimed by The New York Times Book Review as "glib, sparkling, saucy . . . spiced with wit and replete with painless instruction," this volume explains how and why the meanings of words change in the course of time. It also helps dispel readers' self-doubts about "correct" grammar and usage, making a case for simple, colorful, and individualistic "English that says most precisely just what we want to say, with the proper emotional overtones and with grace and force and beauty."

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1959