Facts on File Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins

by Robert Hendrickson

Praise for the previous editions:
A feast for phrase detectives...that will enliven debates and illuminate issues.—William Safire
...recommended for large public and academic libraries that serve the curious as well as the scholarly., Choice
...roughly triple the greatest number [of entries] in any previous collection of its kind.—Reference and Research Book News...language lovers will romp among its pages with as much excitement as a cat rolling in catnip., Reference Reviews on www.gale.com...provides a winner to any who want a comprehensive coverage more in-depth than most casual lay treatments. This A-Z collection includes slang, proverbs, animal and place names and historical expressions under one cover, making an invaluable reference for students of language., Midwest Book ReviewClear and easy to read...provides a wealth of background material for anyone interested in words and languages., Calliope
An updated and expanded edition

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction, Language, Writing, Words

848 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1990

Reviews

[Nicholas Bradley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is FILLED with random little nuggets of history concerning where and when Words themselves were created. Most are pretty straight forward but some are downright funny. The word "Kangaroo" was invented when explorers asks the natives of Australia what the strage creatures that jumped around on two legs was called and the natives responded with three words that sound like "Kan-Gah-Roo." The explorers naturally thoughts this is what the animals were called...but in reality the natives were trying to say "I Don't Know" and convey that they simply didn't understand what they were saying. This book is great to leave on the shelf and pull down whenever you hear something strange in a day or just feel like looking up where the word "Okay" came from. Enjoy.

[Glass River · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finished! This may be my biggest achievement ever. Now, back to the top. Because this is so great I have to read it at least 5 times.

[lyndsay ortiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

My only complaint is that this book is too big. Can't cuddle up in bed with it.

[Kimberly Purcell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some fun useless and some very fascinating and some obscure information about words and phrases. If you like trivialities or if you're a writer and need information about how things were said in a certain era, this is a great resource.

[Joanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

with the internet , who needs these big tomes on their shelf??

[Sandra Smith · Rating 1 out of 5]

Your Name: Sandra Smith
Type of Reference: Dictionary / Handbook
Call Number: Ref. Desk 422.03 HEN
Brief description: This book has over 15,000 peculiar words and phrases that cover everything from slang, acronyms, and numerous other literary references.
Citation for where the item has been reviewed: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22...
Criteria – This book didn’t impress me, but due to several people seeking it out on two different occasions, I guess it must be used for some assignments or some sort of literary need. It’s scope is humorous at times and seems to cover the content. It appears to be accurate and authoritative. The presentation leaves much to be desired. As far as relation to similar works, I couldn’t find anything that seemed to compare. Due to the fact it covers things such as slang and acronyms, I would think that it would become outdated rather quickly. The diversity of this book would cover many cultures due to the fact it examines slang and other lingo across the board. The costs is less than $50.00.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book. I wish, of course, that it was a little more exhaustive; I also tend to think that its "scholarship" is a little Americentric and recent (as in 1900 and later); but it's pretty good as is.

You know what I'd really like to see? A book sort of like this, but different; a book dedicated to diagramming and naming subcomponents of things.

Do you ever, say, look at a sailboat or a horse or a car or something else that's not a conveyance, and notice something about it, an accoutrement or feature or, and wonder to yourself: "What's that little thing called?" I would like to have a book where I could reference all of my curiosity about things I know little about. How do you describe something particular to a particular squid if you do not know the words for the make-up of a squid generally? How do you speak of houses having never built one?

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow--so much to learn here! Did you know that G-string was a term originally applied to Indian loin cloths? Also, eavesdrop comes from the legal space between houses in ancient English law. All houses had to be at least 2 feet apart to prevent one house's rainwater from falling on the other. Standing in the space between--the "eavesdrip"--was a way to stand close enough to your neighbor to overhear conversations. Fascinating!

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had read 1/4 of this when commuting and is a fun and insightful dictionary of words. Absolutely enjoyable to know the source of words (e.g. barn from barley ern = barley storage).

I decided to go through it from beginning to end and am glad I have reviewed it again.

[John Hawkins]

How can one read a book like this? It is reference.

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

it's pretty neat, but not the exhaustive reference book i expected.

[Ona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Endless entertainment.