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Around the World in 80 Words: A Journey Through the English Language
What makes a place so memorable that it survives for ever in a word? In this captivating round-the-world jaunt, Paul Anthony Jones reveals the intriguing stories of how 80 different places came to be immortalised in our language.
Beginning in London and heading through Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas, you’ll discover why the origins of turkeys, Brazil nuts, limericks and Panama hats aren’t quite as straightforward as you might presume. You’ll also find out what the Philippines have given to your office in-tray; what an island with more bears than people has given to your liquor cabinet; and how a tiny hamlet in Nottinghamshire became Gotham City.
Beginning in London and heading through Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia and the Americas, you’ll discover why the origins of turkeys, Brazil nuts, limericks and Panama hats aren’t quite as straightforward as you might presume. You’ll also find out what the Philippines have given to your office in-tray; what an island with more bears than people has given to your liquor cabinet; and how a tiny hamlet in Nottinghamshire became Gotham City.
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First published October 18, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
May 29, 2020
I think I've mentioned before that I normally try to join in with a series of challenges on Habitica called the "Keeping It Real" challenges. Each month, the creator picks a Dewey Decimal category and the participants get to pick any book they want from within that category. I did try a different book first this month, but I didn't make much headway with this, but then I bethought me of Haggard Hawks. I know of that Twitter because Thea Gilmore's gorgeous "Grandam Gold" (featuring vocals from Cara Dillon as well!) was based on one of those tweets... and I knew there were also books. Aha! I thought.
And lo and behold, Scribd had this one, so I downloaded it and set to work. I'll admit, reading it straight through would not be my recommended way of reading this book: it's more of a dip in-and-out book, one to read during odd breaks and at the bus stop (provided your buses are normally punctual). When you try to read it all in one go, it starts to pall rather.
The thing is, it feels a little random. There's the theme of going round the world, but the countries that are chosen do often feel like afterthoughts, while there are several different entries for the UK (and I'm not just talking about one from Wales, one from Ireland, one from Scotland, etc -- in fact, I don't think there's any mention of Wales whatsoever, and we could've managed at least cawl or even hiraeth!).
Anyway, some interesting facts, but not a total winner for me.
And lo and behold, Scribd had this one, so I downloaded it and set to work. I'll admit, reading it straight through would not be my recommended way of reading this book: it's more of a dip in-and-out book, one to read during odd breaks and at the bus stop (provided your buses are normally punctual). When you try to read it all in one go, it starts to pall rather.
The thing is, it feels a little random. There's the theme of going round the world, but the countries that are chosen do often feel like afterthoughts, while there are several different entries for the UK (and I'm not just talking about one from Wales, one from Ireland, one from Scotland, etc -- in fact, I don't think there's any mention of Wales whatsoever, and we could've managed at least cawl or even hiraeth!).
Anyway, some interesting facts, but not a total winner for me.
January 3, 2019
The United Kingdom has a habit of acquiring things from all around the world and keeping them; just take a look in any museum… But one of the things that we are very good at keeping is words and phrases, incorporating them into English and calling them our own. So far not many have objected, but how they ended up in the English language and where they came from is a story in its own right. Paul Anthony Jones is well placed to tell us too. He has chosen eighty well-known ones and is about to embark on an etymology world tour.
Starting in London with the Kent Street ejectment, Europe beckons where we will learn the origins of the phrases and words, zabernism, ampster, Abderian laughter and where the colour magenta is from. Nipping across the straits of Gibraltar, tangerines and Algerines enter the lexicon. It is bedlam in the Middle East and doolally in India, before reaching Xanadu in the Far East. There is a brief sojourn through the islands of the Pacific and then onto the Americas for yet more bunkum. Heading back over the pond is an opportunity to collect the final few words in this 70,000-mile tour de lexicon around the planet.
Paul Anthony Jones has written another cracker of a book for the lovers of words and language. There are scores of fascinating details on the words he has traced and much more from each location as we head around the globe with him. If you weren't a word nerd before, reading this should make you one. It would have been nice to have a map showing the route round the world too.
Starting in London with the Kent Street ejectment, Europe beckons where we will learn the origins of the phrases and words, zabernism, ampster, Abderian laughter and where the colour magenta is from. Nipping across the straits of Gibraltar, tangerines and Algerines enter the lexicon. It is bedlam in the Middle East and doolally in India, before reaching Xanadu in the Far East. There is a brief sojourn through the islands of the Pacific and then onto the Americas for yet more bunkum. Heading back over the pond is an opportunity to collect the final few words in this 70,000-mile tour de lexicon around the planet.
Paul Anthony Jones has written another cracker of a book for the lovers of words and language. There are scores of fascinating details on the words he has traced and much more from each location as we head around the globe with him. If you weren't a word nerd before, reading this should make you one. It would have been nice to have a map showing the route round the world too.
December 14, 2018
Reading is always an adventure and, in Around the World in 80 Words, the adventure starts in London with a journey through the English language. Taking us from the derivation of the term, "Kent Street Ejectment", which I have to admit I hadn't heard of, but maybe Londoners have 😊, through to being sent to Coventry, this absorbing etymological exploration, is a cornucopia of fascinating detail.
Like all readers, I have a curiosity with words, not just in speech and modern fiction, but also in the way our language has evolved, and of the diversity of the origins of words in our shared language.
This is one of those engrossing compilations which is easy to dip into and out of, picking a country or a word and then just letting the beauty of both, and the exemplary research, take you into the fascinating and complicated world of the English language.
Eighty stops, from London, to the Vire region of France, the source of the word Vaudeville, through to Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and all parts of Eastern Europe, from Colombo in Sri Lanka, home of Serendipity, to the Brazil nuts of Rio de Janeiro, there is such a wealth of information, not just about the words we have purloined from so many different cultures, but also in the way their use has changed and evolved over time.
I don't travel much, but that doesn't mean I'm not fascinated by different cultures and so the absolute appeal of Around the World in 80 Words, for me, is that I've travelled thousands of miles and learned so much fascinating detail without ever having to ditch my cup of tea, or leave my favourite armchair.
Around the World in 80 Words is a perfect Christmas present for any wordsmith, linguist or book worm.
Like all readers, I have a curiosity with words, not just in speech and modern fiction, but also in the way our language has evolved, and of the diversity of the origins of words in our shared language.
This is one of those engrossing compilations which is easy to dip into and out of, picking a country or a word and then just letting the beauty of both, and the exemplary research, take you into the fascinating and complicated world of the English language.
Eighty stops, from London, to the Vire region of France, the source of the word Vaudeville, through to Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and all parts of Eastern Europe, from Colombo in Sri Lanka, home of Serendipity, to the Brazil nuts of Rio de Janeiro, there is such a wealth of information, not just about the words we have purloined from so many different cultures, but also in the way their use has changed and evolved over time.
I don't travel much, but that doesn't mean I'm not fascinated by different cultures and so the absolute appeal of Around the World in 80 Words, for me, is that I've travelled thousands of miles and learned so much fascinating detail without ever having to ditch my cup of tea, or leave my favourite armchair.
Around the World in 80 Words is a perfect Christmas present for any wordsmith, linguist or book worm.
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May 22, 2023Language book, in this case a trip round the world to look at the places that gave us words or phrases. A lot of these phrases are entirely forgotten, which perhaps lessens the point of the exercise occasionally, it it's mostly interesting.
October 25, 2018
Around the World in 80 Words – Just Proves We Will Borrow Anything!
Paul Anthony Jones has done it once again, produced a book that can turn the reader in to a word geek. Jones himself is a word nerd who is an obsessive where words are concerned. I would hate to play him at scrabble, not only would he get the triple word scores up but then to add insult to injury explain the history or that particular word.
Paul Anthony Jones is already written a number of books on words and linguistics, which have proven to be popular and I can see this book doing the same. He also appears often in the media, across newspapers as well as having his own blog.
What he has done in this book is reveal the hidden histories of words that are in common currency in the English language. Starting off in that there London town we are taken on a tour of Europe, Asia, onto Australia before heading to the Americas before heading back to blighty. Certainly, a better journey that that of Phileas Fogg, a lot quicker and no balloons required.
The origins of the words are very interesting, such as vaudeville, which has a very interesting history, especially when you think how we use the word. Or being sent to Coventry, personally I would rather be stuck on the M6, than go to Coventry. Or the colour magenta, yes even that has a past, looking at you Italy! Even those pesky Americans, who with their terrible dialect have done much to destroy the English Language, have had a couple of positive additions to the language.
This really is a fun book for all those that love to know various facts about language, and always a bonus for those that enjoy quizzes and crosswords!
Paul Anthony Jones has done it once again, produced a book that can turn the reader in to a word geek. Jones himself is a word nerd who is an obsessive where words are concerned. I would hate to play him at scrabble, not only would he get the triple word scores up but then to add insult to injury explain the history or that particular word.
Paul Anthony Jones is already written a number of books on words and linguistics, which have proven to be popular and I can see this book doing the same. He also appears often in the media, across newspapers as well as having his own blog.
What he has done in this book is reveal the hidden histories of words that are in common currency in the English language. Starting off in that there London town we are taken on a tour of Europe, Asia, onto Australia before heading to the Americas before heading back to blighty. Certainly, a better journey that that of Phileas Fogg, a lot quicker and no balloons required.
The origins of the words are very interesting, such as vaudeville, which has a very interesting history, especially when you think how we use the word. Or being sent to Coventry, personally I would rather be stuck on the M6, than go to Coventry. Or the colour magenta, yes even that has a past, looking at you Italy! Even those pesky Americans, who with their terrible dialect have done much to destroy the English Language, have had a couple of positive additions to the language.
This really is a fun book for all those that love to know various facts about language, and always a bonus for those that enjoy quizzes and crosswords!
October 5, 2021
This book played right into my dual interests for linguistics and geography. By taking the readers on an etymological trip around the world the author, like the eminent Mr. Fogg himself, never ceases to delight, which makes this book such a wildly entertaining and wildly informative, of course, gallop through 70some countries on six continents.
It’s a travelogue with something extra. Each entry is relatively brief but it provides delicious linguistic morsels and the appropriate historical context for them. I’ve learned a bunch of new words and expressions and sure, some of them are more relevant to the proper (i.e. Great Britain) English speakers, but it’s nevertheless never less than fascinating to see the evolution of language in both formal and colloquial forms.
The tone and presentation of this book are right on the money with respects to how I like my nonfiction, clever, erudite, charming, humorous, engaging. In fact, if this trip continued past its literary association mandated 80 days, I’d definitely remain on board. And that’s despite the fact that the other attribute I much admire and look for in nonfiction is reasonable length.
So yeah, a winner all around. An absolute treasure trove for word lover everywhere. Recommended.
It’s a travelogue with something extra. Each entry is relatively brief but it provides delicious linguistic morsels and the appropriate historical context for them. I’ve learned a bunch of new words and expressions and sure, some of them are more relevant to the proper (i.e. Great Britain) English speakers, but it’s nevertheless never less than fascinating to see the evolution of language in both formal and colloquial forms.
The tone and presentation of this book are right on the money with respects to how I like my nonfiction, clever, erudite, charming, humorous, engaging. In fact, if this trip continued past its literary association mandated 80 days, I’d definitely remain on board. And that’s despite the fact that the other attribute I much admire and look for in nonfiction is reasonable length.
So yeah, a winner all around. An absolute treasure trove for word lover everywhere. Recommended.
February 17, 2024
I wanted to have the list of chapters/words for future reference. I found this book because I get mailers from Chicago Press because of purchases I've made, and every time I get their catalog, I find new books I want to read. Otherwise, I don't know if I would have ever found this book.
Other reviewers said what I feel - you can't read this book all in one sitting. I am listening to it but want to get the hard copy because I want to highlight things/words/meanings I enjoy most. I am learning so much and wanted to take copious notes, but who has time?
Each chapter doesn't just cover one word. In just 6-7 minutes, the author gives so much information! I wanted to have a map out and follow the words through each country and city. I would love to know what made the author choose the words that he did, as he traveled the world. I did find it interesting that there were a lot of Biblical references in the book. The author seems to have a lot of Bible knowledge, and I was inspired to research him more.
1. London, UK Kent Street - ejectment
2. Vire, France- vaudeville
3. Saverne, France - zabernism
4. Spa, Belgium - spa - this chapter was cool - not just Brussel Sprouts but birth control and true French fries too!
5. Neander Valley, Germany - Neanderthal - finding old buried bones :)
6. Amsterdam, Netherlands - ampster
7. Copenhagen, Denmark - Great Dane
8. Oslo, Norway - Oslo breakfast - this kind of breakfast - interesting the impact it had on children's health and growth.
9. Ytterby, Sweden - yttrium - I am not a chemist, but it is interesting to learn about how new elements came about.
10. Helsinki, Finland - Finlandisation
11. Dubna, Russia - dubnium
12. Balaklava, Ukraine - balaclava - We were just talking about this word and needing one for army training outside.
13. Istanbul, Turkey - turkey
14. Nicosia, Cyprus - copper
15. Abdera, Greece - Abderian laughter
16. Sofia, Bulgaria - buggery - haha - I want to call people buggers all the time (like being a punk)
17. Skopje, Macedonia - macédoine
18. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Balkanisation
19. Zagreb, Croatia - cravat
20. Kócs, Hungary - coach - so many meanings. Was a coach on a train, then became a tutor/teacher helping students pass their exams at the end of the year. It is interesting how much words change or stretch.
21. Raków, Poland - Racovian - (Faustus)
22. Jáchymov, Czech Republic - dollar
23. Kahlenbergerdorf, Austria - calembour
24. Magenta, Italy - magenta - I was so excited for this word. I love everything about Italy and want to learn as much as possible about the country. The colors sienna, umber, and Magenta come from Italy. (Magenta - from a town near Milan). The color could have come from the blood color in the battle in Magenta. Or the uniform of some of the soldiers. But the colors were a little off from the true color magenta. But really from a scientist and his color (fuschia, and then magenta) and the staggering battle of Magenta.
25. Jura Mountains, France/Switzerland - Jurassic
26. Monte Carlo, Monaco - Monte Carlo fallacy (gambling fallacy - just because something has happened less frequently than expected, it is more likely to occur). Monte Carlo means Charles mountain. Started to refer to money - a bet destined to pay off. Monaco - slang for cash or loose change. We are hard-wired to look for patterns (I think of Yahtzee).
27. Porto, Portugal - port - Unquestionably questionable meaning. Port we owe to Portugal - sweet red wine.
28. Jerez de la Frontera, Spain - sherry - fortified wine.
29. Gibraltar - Siege of Gibraltar
30. Tangier, Morocco - tangerine - (Ouija board and Fez come from here?) "To be in your morocco" means to be naked. Tangerine - 1899 named.
31. Algiers, Algeria - "Algerine" - A money-chaser or hard-up borrower of petty sums. A cheat. The area of Algeria became known for its pirates. This country has given us more words than many other French countries.
32. Canary Islands - canary (turkeys did not mistakingly take their names from the country of turkey. Turkey didn't have real turkeys. But they had a bird like it).
Which came first - the islands or birds? The birds weren't until 4th century. 1562 was the first named canary. (Canary - can be a verb - bounce - from Shakespeare. A canary is a sprite and bouncy bird).
33. Timbuktu, Mali - Timbuktu - the most distant place imaginable. I use this work often - when something is just so far away or seems way out of the way. Timbuktu is very hot. "Any remotely far-flung location."
34. Conakry, Guinea - guinea - many places that are named guinea. (could be gold coin - first was just for Britain to trade with West Africa and that area of Africa a long time ago).
35. Brazzaville, Congo - conga - Congo basin - technically named from South American dance (American Spanish). Means dance of the Congo and done by African slaves? But could also be from heart of Africa?
36. Stellenbosch, South Africa - Stellenbosch - beautiful environment, wine farms, historic buildings? Had a war camp. Those who worked there didn't get to be on the front line. "To be relegated to a place where little harm can be done." Could be "To remove from office" or "to a less impactful office"
37. Mocha, Yemen - mocha - Red Sea area - gate of tears. Mocha is a city. The type of coffee beans are from here that we get mocha coffee. At one time, it was the most important coffee trading port in the world. (Some of the best and finest coffee in the world). Mocha coffee we have now didn't really become a menu item until 1977.
38. Cairo, Egypt - fustian - thick durable cloth made of cotton and linen. This cloth lasts for a long time. Fustian now - inappropriate lofty language. Speaking pompously or pretentiously. BOMBASTIC. Even John Milton used it - using pompous writing. People now use it more for fabric than writing.
39. Bethlehem, Palestine - bedlam - mayhem, mad disarray. (Originally bedlam referred to Bethlehem - a good place. And now bedlam is negative connotation). Bethlehem's hospital was originally for treating the insane. It means mad confusion/derangement. Many Bible places have been put into vocabulary - Gethsemane - any place of distress.
40. Mount Nebo, Jordan - Pisgah - Moses, border of Canaan, he climbed Mt. Pisgah. It is so cool that I am reading this right now while also reading the end of Moses's life, and then Joshua, and the history. Pisgah hill - gives a view of the future or everything around.
41. Samarra, Iraq - appointment in Samarra - an appointment with death.
42. Qumis, Iran - Parthian - light cavalry hit-and-run tactic
43. Bukhara, Uzbekistan - buckram - stiff fabric/like linen or horse hair. Treated with gum. The material is known for its strength and durability, and has covered many books. Could be from "buck" - male animal and its hair used. It is often used as a term for anyone who appears to have strength but really doesn't. (Shakespeare used it in Henry IV). Someone who is absent/doesn't exist/used as an alibi - hypothetical men.
44. Kabul, Afghanistan - Afghanistanism - the preoccupation of authors to discuss issues from farflung regions rather than covering what is important close to home. Term was used starting in 1948. Afghanistan is the 1st country in the world, alphabetically.
45. Deolali, India - doolally - Indian army slang. Started with Indian soldiers who were in military transit camps or hospitals, trying to get home. Lots of malaria - madness from "tap" - fever - from malaria. 1900s. By 1950s - term meant crazed, drunk, or "mad"
46. Colombo, Sri Lanka - serendipity - Horace Walpole - first gothic novel. He described the word as from "The 3 princesses of Serendip" and told the story. The word - old name for Sri Lanka. Zemblanity - opposite of serendipity.
47. Samut Songkhram, Thailand - Siamese twins
48. Phnom Penh, Cambodia - gamboge - Gamboge is used for cancer, constipation, infections of the intestines by parasites, and other conditions. Herman Melville used it in his writing. Trees that produce gamboge come from Thailand and Cambodia. Etymological connection.
49. Shanghai, China - Shanghaiing (my favorite place) - contender for largest city in the world. To force or constrain someone to do something against their will. Originally to be drugged against your will and put on a boat but unable to escape. Shanghai known for it's maritime trade. Crews found themselves often in Shanghai, and ended up there at the end of a voyage.
50. Shangdu, China - Xanadu - China known for its porcelain. Samuel Taylor Coleridge - Kubla Khan poetry. Marco Polo visited marble palace there. Amazing art. "An idyllic, exotic, or luxurious place." The poet Coleridge was using opium when he wrote the poem, and pictured the perfect place. Very popular poem. This word has endured for almost 800 years.
51. Kagoshima, Japan - satsuma - so many words/options for Japan. Even the word Japan means to lacquer something. Satsuma is a type of Mandarin orange. Seedless and easy to peel. I should look for these at the grocery store - one of most popular on market. Satsuma is also very pretty pottery.
52. Manila, Philippines - Manila paper - ubiquitous product. Manila hemp - farmed like hemp for its fiber. Strong. Paper making came from China, but the US really made this product popular. Manila paper as opposed to white paper - strong. Used in Civil War - folding paper to protect it.
53. Makassar, Indonesia - antimacassar - a small cloth placed over the backs or arms of chairs, or the head or cushions of a sofa, to prevent soiling of the permanent fabric underneath. macassar oil - this product was really good for men's hair, but it was ruining the furniture they sat on. The oil from their hair was now on the fabrics. Sounds familiar. I need antimacassar (instead I use a hand towel for my husband's chair lol). THIS WORD - one of my new favorites.
54. Tasmania, Australia - vandemonianism - ruffianly, violent - came from transportation of convicts. Tasmania was originally Vandemon's land.
55. Karitane, New Zealand - Karitane - childcare - anything related to it.
56. Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands - bikini - in the heart of Pacific ocean in a lagoon. Just north of equator. Bikini swimsuit came from bikini atoll. Rita Hayworth, Gilber and an army missile test in these islands. Bombs dropped, and Bikini Atoll said to world's first nuclear disaster, but no one can live there because of nuclear chemical strontium.
57. Klondike, Canada - Klondike - a region of canada. I do love Klondike bars - yum! Klondike suggests “cold” and bar may allude to gold, presenting the Klondike bar as a ice-cold treasure. "There's gold there in them hills." A treasure trove or gold rush. There is a card game too.
58. Admiralty Island, Alaska, USA - hooch - alcohol
59. Hollywood, California, USA - Hollywood no - it is "the entirety" - all of the advertising and famous people and movies and area - considered Hollywood (metonymy). Rarely in Hollywood do you hear NO. Instead you might get silence, or "we love it but have a similar project" or "This has a lot of potential but" or "We loved it but need someone else to read it" or "We liked it but have some notes"
60. Jalap, Mexico - jalapeño - peppers that irritate the glands in the throat. Jalopy came from here too. Cars that were falling apart but could be sent to Jalap to be used for scrap or parts.
61. San José, Costa Rica - Panlibhonco - flags of convenience - using another country's flag to get in and out of ports. That was how illegal alcohol got in and out of the US during prohibition. Flags of convenience - most are registered in Panama, the Marshall Islands, and Hondurus.
62. Panama City, Panama - Panama hat - southernmost country in mainland North America. These hats are popular because they are cooling. But the panama hat comes from Equador (sold and exported out of Panama). Hats were popular but hadn't spread all over until 1830s. When there were easier connections between Equador and Panama because of travel growth, the hat spread all over the world. Soft, elastic, can be wrung out like a towel. :) Supposedly doesn't wear out.
63. Lima, Peru - Lima syndrome - Stockholm syndrome - when hostages or prisoners start sympathizing with their captors. A defense-like mechanism and see any act of kindness as good/sympathetic and feel grateful. It's a survival technique. Lima syndrome - when a party was stormed and everyone was taken hostage, the people who were freed (women and officials), it was because the captors took pity on the hostages. It was the opposite of Stockholm syndrome because captors pitied hostages.
64. Stanley, Falkland Islands - Falklands effect - the favorable effect of on the popularity of a ruling party of conducting a foreign war.
65. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Brazil nut - which came first? Brazil or the Brazil nut? The nuts were named after the size of the tree and a chemist friend. Almonds of the Amazon! Some say that certain brazil nuts are the best nuts there are and produce a special oil. But is it confused with a butternut? Was it just a large edible nut that was moved from Brazil to Europe? The nuts were named after the country. And Brazil comes from a tough brownish red timber, from a tree, but it isn't southAmerican. It is thought to be French or Arabic? or the dye color is from southeast Asia.
66. Cayenne, French Guiana - cayenne pepper - capital is Cayenne. Pungent spicy flavor and is sold as powder. It is a spicy pepper. Many spellings before it was established as cayenne. Does it mean "pepper pepper"?
67. Daiquirí, Cuba - daiquiri cocktail. Tobacco - rolled leaves. Cuba - largest of all Caribbean islands. Daquiri comes from that town - American mining engineers created the drink when they ran out of other liquors. They could have wanted a rum based cocktail when they ran out of gin? Lots of different stories of origin. The drink came at the same time as Spanish American war. The Americans liked the drink and brought it back to the US. The drink became really popular during the jazz age.
68. Hamilton, Bermuda - Bermuda - Bermuda is a cigar, a type of rig, and Bermuda shorts. The term actually popped up in street slang in London. In London, cheap places to live where known criminals could hide out and live. Criminals looking to escape London to not get caught found themselves a safe place in London. That's how the name could have come up. Criminal hideouts. Shakespeare made reference in Tempest.
69. Buncombe, North Carolina, USA - bunkum - incoherent nonsense in politics. A representative for Congress in Buncombe county NC. The congressman gave a 5000 word speech - on and on and on. People wanted him to be quiet. Doing something purely to please other people. Utter nonsense. Talking for talking's sake. Debunking things came from this too - so cool!
70. New York, USA - tuxedo - Bourbon comes from Bourbon county in KY, Charleston dance came from Charleston SC. Virginia fence - the way it is built is also a walk. Astor was part of this - redoing Tuxedo park for rich people to enjoy. Tailless dresscoat? Too informal - an alternative to the standard tailcoat. Now is most people's blacktie style of choice.
71. Toronto, Canada - Toronto blessing - more recent word. From 1994. A fit of religious ecstasy. "Catch the fire" movement. Manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Clark remained and his congregation spread. People brought the religious fever with them and spread. Clark's ministry was felt all over. Many agnostics and atheists changed their minds because of him and the power of the Holy Spirit.
72. Labrador, Canada - Labrador
73. Geysir, Iceland - geyser - a valley and the world's most geothermic activity. Some of these erupt every 5-10 minutes, and the other, rare! Very temperamental and has been active for 10k years. You can make a geyser falsely erupt with soap or adding other chemicals.
74. Limerick, Ireland - limerick - Edward Lear. He wrote Owl and Pussycat and the Book of Nonsense. Stories of nonsense and people's silly stories within 5 line poems. History is not sure if the term really came from Lear or 20 years earlier from soldiers who made up stories.
75. Dublin, Ireland - donnybrook - donnybrook fair. It has given its name to an Irish jig, a chain of food stores, a broadsheet ballad, and slang term for a brawl or riot. Brawl or riot sounds most likely based on what happens at a fair.
76. Glasgow, UK Glasgow - magistrate
77. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK - Newcastle programme - any promise or agreement that in practice proves unimplementable.
78. Gotham, UK - Gothamite - any town where the residents are viewed as being less sophisticated or cultured. Was used more in London. Then it became used for any large town. Dictionary now uses the word for those who live in NYC. It has now lost all of its negative connotations. First city was New Castle upon Thyme. English immigrants used it in 1807 in NY.
79. Coventry, UK - send to Coventry - to ostracize someone. Typically, this is done by not talking to them, avoiding their company, and acting as if they no longer exist. Earlier: to send one to Coventry - a punishment inflicted by officers of the army on such of their brethren as are testy, or have been guilty of improper behavior, not worthy the cognizance of a court martial. Similar to LIMOGER (French) - removing or demoting someone from a high position. Makes it sound like it isn't so awful.
80. Porlock, UK - person from Porlock - someone who interrupts at an inconvenient moment. It goes back to Samuel Taylor Coleridge when he was trying to write Kubla Khan and some person from Porlock interrupted him. The poem is only 54 lines long and "is blamed on that person."
The guide on the journey around the world is the dictionary, not the Atlas.
Other reviewers said what I feel - you can't read this book all in one sitting. I am listening to it but want to get the hard copy because I want to highlight things/words/meanings I enjoy most. I am learning so much and wanted to take copious notes, but who has time?
Each chapter doesn't just cover one word. In just 6-7 minutes, the author gives so much information! I wanted to have a map out and follow the words through each country and city. I would love to know what made the author choose the words that he did, as he traveled the world. I did find it interesting that there were a lot of Biblical references in the book. The author seems to have a lot of Bible knowledge, and I was inspired to research him more.
1. London, UK Kent Street - ejectment
2. Vire, France- vaudeville
3. Saverne, France - zabernism
4. Spa, Belgium - spa - this chapter was cool - not just Brussel Sprouts but birth control and true French fries too!
5. Neander Valley, Germany - Neanderthal - finding old buried bones :)
6. Amsterdam, Netherlands - ampster
7. Copenhagen, Denmark - Great Dane
8. Oslo, Norway - Oslo breakfast - this kind of breakfast - interesting the impact it had on children's health and growth.
9. Ytterby, Sweden - yttrium - I am not a chemist, but it is interesting to learn about how new elements came about.
10. Helsinki, Finland - Finlandisation
11. Dubna, Russia - dubnium
12. Balaklava, Ukraine - balaclava - We were just talking about this word and needing one for army training outside.
13. Istanbul, Turkey - turkey
14. Nicosia, Cyprus - copper
15. Abdera, Greece - Abderian laughter
16. Sofia, Bulgaria - buggery - haha - I want to call people buggers all the time (like being a punk)
17. Skopje, Macedonia - macédoine
18. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina - Balkanisation
19. Zagreb, Croatia - cravat
20. Kócs, Hungary - coach - so many meanings. Was a coach on a train, then became a tutor/teacher helping students pass their exams at the end of the year. It is interesting how much words change or stretch.
21. Raków, Poland - Racovian - (Faustus)
22. Jáchymov, Czech Republic - dollar
23. Kahlenbergerdorf, Austria - calembour
24. Magenta, Italy - magenta - I was so excited for this word. I love everything about Italy and want to learn as much as possible about the country. The colors sienna, umber, and Magenta come from Italy. (Magenta - from a town near Milan). The color could have come from the blood color in the battle in Magenta. Or the uniform of some of the soldiers. But the colors were a little off from the true color magenta. But really from a scientist and his color (fuschia, and then magenta) and the staggering battle of Magenta.
25. Jura Mountains, France/Switzerland - Jurassic
26. Monte Carlo, Monaco - Monte Carlo fallacy (gambling fallacy - just because something has happened less frequently than expected, it is more likely to occur). Monte Carlo means Charles mountain. Started to refer to money - a bet destined to pay off. Monaco - slang for cash or loose change. We are hard-wired to look for patterns (I think of Yahtzee).
27. Porto, Portugal - port - Unquestionably questionable meaning. Port we owe to Portugal - sweet red wine.
28. Jerez de la Frontera, Spain - sherry - fortified wine.
29. Gibraltar - Siege of Gibraltar
30. Tangier, Morocco - tangerine - (Ouija board and Fez come from here?) "To be in your morocco" means to be naked. Tangerine - 1899 named.
31. Algiers, Algeria - "Algerine" - A money-chaser or hard-up borrower of petty sums. A cheat. The area of Algeria became known for its pirates. This country has given us more words than many other French countries.
32. Canary Islands - canary (turkeys did not mistakingly take their names from the country of turkey. Turkey didn't have real turkeys. But they had a bird like it).
Which came first - the islands or birds? The birds weren't until 4th century. 1562 was the first named canary. (Canary - can be a verb - bounce - from Shakespeare. A canary is a sprite and bouncy bird).
33. Timbuktu, Mali - Timbuktu - the most distant place imaginable. I use this work often - when something is just so far away or seems way out of the way. Timbuktu is very hot. "Any remotely far-flung location."
34. Conakry, Guinea - guinea - many places that are named guinea. (could be gold coin - first was just for Britain to trade with West Africa and that area of Africa a long time ago).
35. Brazzaville, Congo - conga - Congo basin - technically named from South American dance (American Spanish). Means dance of the Congo and done by African slaves? But could also be from heart of Africa?
36. Stellenbosch, South Africa - Stellenbosch - beautiful environment, wine farms, historic buildings? Had a war camp. Those who worked there didn't get to be on the front line. "To be relegated to a place where little harm can be done." Could be "To remove from office" or "to a less impactful office"
37. Mocha, Yemen - mocha - Red Sea area - gate of tears. Mocha is a city. The type of coffee beans are from here that we get mocha coffee. At one time, it was the most important coffee trading port in the world. (Some of the best and finest coffee in the world). Mocha coffee we have now didn't really become a menu item until 1977.
38. Cairo, Egypt - fustian - thick durable cloth made of cotton and linen. This cloth lasts for a long time. Fustian now - inappropriate lofty language. Speaking pompously or pretentiously. BOMBASTIC. Even John Milton used it - using pompous writing. People now use it more for fabric than writing.
39. Bethlehem, Palestine - bedlam - mayhem, mad disarray. (Originally bedlam referred to Bethlehem - a good place. And now bedlam is negative connotation). Bethlehem's hospital was originally for treating the insane. It means mad confusion/derangement. Many Bible places have been put into vocabulary - Gethsemane - any place of distress.
40. Mount Nebo, Jordan - Pisgah - Moses, border of Canaan, he climbed Mt. Pisgah. It is so cool that I am reading this right now while also reading the end of Moses's life, and then Joshua, and the history. Pisgah hill - gives a view of the future or everything around.
41. Samarra, Iraq - appointment in Samarra - an appointment with death.
42. Qumis, Iran - Parthian - light cavalry hit-and-run tactic
43. Bukhara, Uzbekistan - buckram - stiff fabric/like linen or horse hair. Treated with gum. The material is known for its strength and durability, and has covered many books. Could be from "buck" - male animal and its hair used. It is often used as a term for anyone who appears to have strength but really doesn't. (Shakespeare used it in Henry IV). Someone who is absent/doesn't exist/used as an alibi - hypothetical men.
44. Kabul, Afghanistan - Afghanistanism - the preoccupation of authors to discuss issues from farflung regions rather than covering what is important close to home. Term was used starting in 1948. Afghanistan is the 1st country in the world, alphabetically.
45. Deolali, India - doolally - Indian army slang. Started with Indian soldiers who were in military transit camps or hospitals, trying to get home. Lots of malaria - madness from "tap" - fever - from malaria. 1900s. By 1950s - term meant crazed, drunk, or "mad"
46. Colombo, Sri Lanka - serendipity - Horace Walpole - first gothic novel. He described the word as from "The 3 princesses of Serendip" and told the story. The word - old name for Sri Lanka. Zemblanity - opposite of serendipity.
47. Samut Songkhram, Thailand - Siamese twins
48. Phnom Penh, Cambodia - gamboge - Gamboge is used for cancer, constipation, infections of the intestines by parasites, and other conditions. Herman Melville used it in his writing. Trees that produce gamboge come from Thailand and Cambodia. Etymological connection.
49. Shanghai, China - Shanghaiing (my favorite place) - contender for largest city in the world. To force or constrain someone to do something against their will. Originally to be drugged against your will and put on a boat but unable to escape. Shanghai known for it's maritime trade. Crews found themselves often in Shanghai, and ended up there at the end of a voyage.
50. Shangdu, China - Xanadu - China known for its porcelain. Samuel Taylor Coleridge - Kubla Khan poetry. Marco Polo visited marble palace there. Amazing art. "An idyllic, exotic, or luxurious place." The poet Coleridge was using opium when he wrote the poem, and pictured the perfect place. Very popular poem. This word has endured for almost 800 years.
51. Kagoshima, Japan - satsuma - so many words/options for Japan. Even the word Japan means to lacquer something. Satsuma is a type of Mandarin orange. Seedless and easy to peel. I should look for these at the grocery store - one of most popular on market. Satsuma is also very pretty pottery.
52. Manila, Philippines - Manila paper - ubiquitous product. Manila hemp - farmed like hemp for its fiber. Strong. Paper making came from China, but the US really made this product popular. Manila paper as opposed to white paper - strong. Used in Civil War - folding paper to protect it.
53. Makassar, Indonesia - antimacassar - a small cloth placed over the backs or arms of chairs, or the head or cushions of a sofa, to prevent soiling of the permanent fabric underneath. macassar oil - this product was really good for men's hair, but it was ruining the furniture they sat on. The oil from their hair was now on the fabrics. Sounds familiar. I need antimacassar (instead I use a hand towel for my husband's chair lol). THIS WORD - one of my new favorites.
54. Tasmania, Australia - vandemonianism - ruffianly, violent - came from transportation of convicts. Tasmania was originally Vandemon's land.
55. Karitane, New Zealand - Karitane - childcare - anything related to it.
56. Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands - bikini - in the heart of Pacific ocean in a lagoon. Just north of equator. Bikini swimsuit came from bikini atoll. Rita Hayworth, Gilber and an army missile test in these islands. Bombs dropped, and Bikini Atoll said to world's first nuclear disaster, but no one can live there because of nuclear chemical strontium.
57. Klondike, Canada - Klondike - a region of canada. I do love Klondike bars - yum! Klondike suggests “cold” and bar may allude to gold, presenting the Klondike bar as a ice-cold treasure. "There's gold there in them hills." A treasure trove or gold rush. There is a card game too.
58. Admiralty Island, Alaska, USA - hooch - alcohol
59. Hollywood, California, USA - Hollywood no - it is "the entirety" - all of the advertising and famous people and movies and area - considered Hollywood (metonymy). Rarely in Hollywood do you hear NO. Instead you might get silence, or "we love it but have a similar project" or "This has a lot of potential but" or "We loved it but need someone else to read it" or "We liked it but have some notes"
60. Jalap, Mexico - jalapeño - peppers that irritate the glands in the throat. Jalopy came from here too. Cars that were falling apart but could be sent to Jalap to be used for scrap or parts.
61. San José, Costa Rica - Panlibhonco - flags of convenience - using another country's flag to get in and out of ports. That was how illegal alcohol got in and out of the US during prohibition. Flags of convenience - most are registered in Panama, the Marshall Islands, and Hondurus.
62. Panama City, Panama - Panama hat - southernmost country in mainland North America. These hats are popular because they are cooling. But the panama hat comes from Equador (sold and exported out of Panama). Hats were popular but hadn't spread all over until 1830s. When there were easier connections between Equador and Panama because of travel growth, the hat spread all over the world. Soft, elastic, can be wrung out like a towel. :) Supposedly doesn't wear out.
63. Lima, Peru - Lima syndrome - Stockholm syndrome - when hostages or prisoners start sympathizing with their captors. A defense-like mechanism and see any act of kindness as good/sympathetic and feel grateful. It's a survival technique. Lima syndrome - when a party was stormed and everyone was taken hostage, the people who were freed (women and officials), it was because the captors took pity on the hostages. It was the opposite of Stockholm syndrome because captors pitied hostages.
64. Stanley, Falkland Islands - Falklands effect - the favorable effect of on the popularity of a ruling party of conducting a foreign war.
65. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil - Brazil nut - which came first? Brazil or the Brazil nut? The nuts were named after the size of the tree and a chemist friend. Almonds of the Amazon! Some say that certain brazil nuts are the best nuts there are and produce a special oil. But is it confused with a butternut? Was it just a large edible nut that was moved from Brazil to Europe? The nuts were named after the country. And Brazil comes from a tough brownish red timber, from a tree, but it isn't southAmerican. It is thought to be French or Arabic? or the dye color is from southeast Asia.
66. Cayenne, French Guiana - cayenne pepper - capital is Cayenne. Pungent spicy flavor and is sold as powder. It is a spicy pepper. Many spellings before it was established as cayenne. Does it mean "pepper pepper"?
67. Daiquirí, Cuba - daiquiri cocktail. Tobacco - rolled leaves. Cuba - largest of all Caribbean islands. Daquiri comes from that town - American mining engineers created the drink when they ran out of other liquors. They could have wanted a rum based cocktail when they ran out of gin? Lots of different stories of origin. The drink came at the same time as Spanish American war. The Americans liked the drink and brought it back to the US. The drink became really popular during the jazz age.
68. Hamilton, Bermuda - Bermuda - Bermuda is a cigar, a type of rig, and Bermuda shorts. The term actually popped up in street slang in London. In London, cheap places to live where known criminals could hide out and live. Criminals looking to escape London to not get caught found themselves a safe place in London. That's how the name could have come up. Criminal hideouts. Shakespeare made reference in Tempest.
69. Buncombe, North Carolina, USA - bunkum - incoherent nonsense in politics. A representative for Congress in Buncombe county NC. The congressman gave a 5000 word speech - on and on and on. People wanted him to be quiet. Doing something purely to please other people. Utter nonsense. Talking for talking's sake. Debunking things came from this too - so cool!
70. New York, USA - tuxedo - Bourbon comes from Bourbon county in KY, Charleston dance came from Charleston SC. Virginia fence - the way it is built is also a walk. Astor was part of this - redoing Tuxedo park for rich people to enjoy. Tailless dresscoat? Too informal - an alternative to the standard tailcoat. Now is most people's blacktie style of choice.
71. Toronto, Canada - Toronto blessing - more recent word. From 1994. A fit of religious ecstasy. "Catch the fire" movement. Manifestations of the Holy Spirit. Clark remained and his congregation spread. People brought the religious fever with them and spread. Clark's ministry was felt all over. Many agnostics and atheists changed their minds because of him and the power of the Holy Spirit.
72. Labrador, Canada - Labrador
73. Geysir, Iceland - geyser - a valley and the world's most geothermic activity. Some of these erupt every 5-10 minutes, and the other, rare! Very temperamental and has been active for 10k years. You can make a geyser falsely erupt with soap or adding other chemicals.
74. Limerick, Ireland - limerick - Edward Lear. He wrote Owl and Pussycat and the Book of Nonsense. Stories of nonsense and people's silly stories within 5 line poems. History is not sure if the term really came from Lear or 20 years earlier from soldiers who made up stories.
75. Dublin, Ireland - donnybrook - donnybrook fair. It has given its name to an Irish jig, a chain of food stores, a broadsheet ballad, and slang term for a brawl or riot. Brawl or riot sounds most likely based on what happens at a fair.
76. Glasgow, UK Glasgow - magistrate
77. Newcastle upon Tyne, UK - Newcastle programme - any promise or agreement that in practice proves unimplementable.
78. Gotham, UK - Gothamite - any town where the residents are viewed as being less sophisticated or cultured. Was used more in London. Then it became used for any large town. Dictionary now uses the word for those who live in NYC. It has now lost all of its negative connotations. First city was New Castle upon Thyme. English immigrants used it in 1807 in NY.
79. Coventry, UK - send to Coventry - to ostracize someone. Typically, this is done by not talking to them, avoiding their company, and acting as if they no longer exist. Earlier: to send one to Coventry - a punishment inflicted by officers of the army on such of their brethren as are testy, or have been guilty of improper behavior, not worthy the cognizance of a court martial. Similar to LIMOGER (French) - removing or demoting someone from a high position. Makes it sound like it isn't so awful.
80. Porlock, UK - person from Porlock - someone who interrupts at an inconvenient moment. It goes back to Samuel Taylor Coleridge when he was trying to write Kubla Khan and some person from Porlock interrupted him. The poem is only 54 lines long and "is blamed on that person."
The guide on the journey around the world is the dictionary, not the Atlas.
October 30, 2018
For something just a little different….. and with a little nod to Jules Verne….
In this captivating round-the-world jaunt, Paul Anthony Jones reveals the hidden histories, tales and global adventures that lie within the pages of our dictionaries. It is a beautifully presented book that offers fascinating facts and insights into the origins of words and concepts.
First stop France and a perusal of the Vaudeville… a journey via a Monsieur Basselin, born in Vire, who liked nothing better than bawdy interludes in the 15th Century, (known as chansons de vau de vire)… which of course eventually morphed into Vaudeville. On to Germany via Saverne and Spa (Belgium) to the origins of Neanderthal and the importance of human remains found near Düsseldorf.
Bergamot comes from Bergamo in Italy and a multitude of pigments used in painting also originated in the country, (known for a wealth of great painting talents). Umber is probably from ombra, which means shadow (tenuously via Umbria as well) and Magenta hails from the town of the same name, via a bloody battle.
Satsumas found a circuitous route from Japan to the Southern United States; and then it’s on to Australia where a Queensland sore is a festering manifestation associated with scurvy. Then there is the country whose etymological contribution to the English language includes a dog, a sauce, a chilli pepper and possibly a clapped-out old car (any guesses as to which country that would be?). Discover the origins of a Toronto Blessing or find out what a Pisgah View might be. And just how did a tiny hamlet in Nottinghamshire become Gotham City? It’s all in the book and more.
It is a fascinating labour of love, that the author has delved into so many common words and found their oftentimes elusive etymology. The research is simply breathtaking and the attention to detail is striking. There is indeed so much knowledge to be had out there, if only one knows where to look! And this book is a good place to start.
Overall a wonderful book to pick up and read a chapter or two at a time. The layout, with the footnotes, isn’t ideal however… they sometimes continue across pages and very often I would read down and realise there was an irrelevant text going on at the bottom that was a continuation from the previous page. A line to distinguish would be good.
In this captivating round-the-world jaunt, Paul Anthony Jones reveals the hidden histories, tales and global adventures that lie within the pages of our dictionaries. It is a beautifully presented book that offers fascinating facts and insights into the origins of words and concepts.
First stop France and a perusal of the Vaudeville… a journey via a Monsieur Basselin, born in Vire, who liked nothing better than bawdy interludes in the 15th Century, (known as chansons de vau de vire)… which of course eventually morphed into Vaudeville. On to Germany via Saverne and Spa (Belgium) to the origins of Neanderthal and the importance of human remains found near Düsseldorf.
Bergamot comes from Bergamo in Italy and a multitude of pigments used in painting also originated in the country, (known for a wealth of great painting talents). Umber is probably from ombra, which means shadow (tenuously via Umbria as well) and Magenta hails from the town of the same name, via a bloody battle.
Satsumas found a circuitous route from Japan to the Southern United States; and then it’s on to Australia where a Queensland sore is a festering manifestation associated with scurvy. Then there is the country whose etymological contribution to the English language includes a dog, a sauce, a chilli pepper and possibly a clapped-out old car (any guesses as to which country that would be?). Discover the origins of a Toronto Blessing or find out what a Pisgah View might be. And just how did a tiny hamlet in Nottinghamshire become Gotham City? It’s all in the book and more.
It is a fascinating labour of love, that the author has delved into so many common words and found their oftentimes elusive etymology. The research is simply breathtaking and the attention to detail is striking. There is indeed so much knowledge to be had out there, if only one knows where to look! And this book is a good place to start.
Overall a wonderful book to pick up and read a chapter or two at a time. The layout, with the footnotes, isn’t ideal however… they sometimes continue across pages and very often I would read down and realise there was an irrelevant text going on at the bottom that was a continuation from the previous page. A line to distinguish would be good.
September 2, 2019
Paul Anthony Jones is a master craftsman in my opinion. When it comes to non-fiction and trivia, he's an absolute joy to read. Witty, to the point and accurate (yes, I did spend time googling some of the facts he presented to check) I have repeatedly bored my family and any other poor sod who happened to be around at the time with endless recounting of how we came by words such as cayenne pepper, bikini, bedlam, dollar, copper and...buggery (yes, really)...among many others.
Jones has the rare ability of the likes of Bill Bryson and Mark Forsyth to be funny without being smarmy. Each chapter is very short and easy to read yet packed with both good humour and fascinating information that you find yourself needing to read again to try and remember it all (for the aforementioned repeating ad nauseam to others). If you're like me you continuously think, as you're reading, 'I've GOT to tell people this one' - and you will.
Furthermore, though in theory you learn about just 80 words or expressions, in reality, Jones adds in many extra words too (under the guise of saying he's NOT going to talk about them) and his footnotes are every bit as interesting the main text (indeed, he throws an 'eighty-first' word story in his final footnote). I didn't count up (clearly I'm a sad man, but not THAT sad) but I would guess you will actually learn around 160-200 word origins in all.
Initially, I was worried by the quantity of words and phrases either little known or no longer in use. Who has heard of words like zabernism, ampster, donnybrook or Newcastle programme (the one piece of information I failed to validate through Google as it seems only the author has heard of that one)? And why should we care? I can tell you that even these chapters are well worth a read. It isn't just interesting trivia you're learning - it's history, and history is always worth learning from.
If you're a trivia fan, or have one who is special in your life with a birthday coming up, this is a perfect treat. Beautifully crafted in design and with every sentence executed with aplomb, I find it hard to imagine any 'lifelong learner' or fan of words - or even just fan of other countries and cultures - failing to thoroughly enjoy this round-the-world trip.
Jones has the rare ability of the likes of Bill Bryson and Mark Forsyth to be funny without being smarmy. Each chapter is very short and easy to read yet packed with both good humour and fascinating information that you find yourself needing to read again to try and remember it all (for the aforementioned repeating ad nauseam to others). If you're like me you continuously think, as you're reading, 'I've GOT to tell people this one' - and you will.
Furthermore, though in theory you learn about just 80 words or expressions, in reality, Jones adds in many extra words too (under the guise of saying he's NOT going to talk about them) and his footnotes are every bit as interesting the main text (indeed, he throws an 'eighty-first' word story in his final footnote). I didn't count up (clearly I'm a sad man, but not THAT sad) but I would guess you will actually learn around 160-200 word origins in all.
Initially, I was worried by the quantity of words and phrases either little known or no longer in use. Who has heard of words like zabernism, ampster, donnybrook or Newcastle programme (the one piece of information I failed to validate through Google as it seems only the author has heard of that one)? And why should we care? I can tell you that even these chapters are well worth a read. It isn't just interesting trivia you're learning - it's history, and history is always worth learning from.
If you're a trivia fan, or have one who is special in your life with a birthday coming up, this is a perfect treat. Beautifully crafted in design and with every sentence executed with aplomb, I find it hard to imagine any 'lifelong learner' or fan of words - or even just fan of other countries and cultures - failing to thoroughly enjoy this round-the-world trip.
Read
December 19, 2020First, there’s more than eighty words discussed here.
Second, this book is geographical as well as lexical.
It was interesting to take in the distances and directions between locales on the author’s tour.
I guess what didn’t work for me was the lack of mystery in the journey. It was all planned out. And the etymologies that Paul Anthony Jones has beckon us from each subsequent stop are often very obscure, or archaic and fallen out of usage. There’s a primness in discussion as if he needs to protect the reader from anything too salacious. The author makes too much of too little in this case.
In that way, I suppose there is a bit of history in this book as well. I never would have known about Labour’s 1891 Party Conference in Newcastle and how the program adopted there would sink Gladstone’s leadership four years later. It is mentioned that the policy that made the “Newcastle programme” so ambitious, and led to its failure was the support for Irish Home Rule. The tragedy of the Uprising of 1916, the radicalization of home rule politics, and the separation of 26 Irish counties from the total 32, when a sort of home rule,and independent Irish State was finally granted nearly 30 years later is not mentioned.
I guess there’s a lot here to lead you into further studies.
So, I will remember that turkeys don’t come from Turkey,, but that in Luxembourga turkey is called a Schnuddelhong which translate literally to “snot- hen”.
I liked the tale associated with the phrase “appointment in Samarra”, though I can’t imagine ever using that obscure phrase.
I hope to one day be able to describe a flood of water as a “Sydharb” even though no one outside of Australia will know what I’m talking about.
It was fun to read about the Donnybrook Fair, held annually, until it wasn’t.
And Pisgah, which has come to mean a view of something that remains tantalizingly, or still, out of reach, has been carried from Biblical lands to these new(ish) lands where I now live, marking a nearby state forest and mountain. I wondered as I read, though the author didn’t venture, if Pisgah was somehow related to the Boston slang of Pissa, as in wicked pissa, or excellent.
Second, this book is geographical as well as lexical.
It was interesting to take in the distances and directions between locales on the author’s tour.
I guess what didn’t work for me was the lack of mystery in the journey. It was all planned out. And the etymologies that Paul Anthony Jones has beckon us from each subsequent stop are often very obscure, or archaic and fallen out of usage. There’s a primness in discussion as if he needs to protect the reader from anything too salacious. The author makes too much of too little in this case.
In that way, I suppose there is a bit of history in this book as well. I never would have known about Labour’s 1891 Party Conference in Newcastle and how the program adopted there would sink Gladstone’s leadership four years later. It is mentioned that the policy that made the “Newcastle programme” so ambitious, and led to its failure was the support for Irish Home Rule. The tragedy of the Uprising of 1916, the radicalization of home rule politics, and the separation of 26 Irish counties from the total 32, when a sort of home rule,and independent Irish State was finally granted nearly 30 years later is not mentioned.
I guess there’s a lot here to lead you into further studies.
So, I will remember that turkeys don’t come from Turkey,, but that in Luxembourga turkey is called a Schnuddelhong which translate literally to “snot- hen”.
I liked the tale associated with the phrase “appointment in Samarra”, though I can’t imagine ever using that obscure phrase.
I hope to one day be able to describe a flood of water as a “Sydharb” even though no one outside of Australia will know what I’m talking about.
It was fun to read about the Donnybrook Fair, held annually, until it wasn’t.
And Pisgah, which has come to mean a view of something that remains tantalizingly, or still, out of reach, has been carried from Biblical lands to these new(ish) lands where I now live, marking a nearby state forest and mountain. I wondered as I read, though the author didn’t venture, if Pisgah was somehow related to the Boston slang of Pissa, as in wicked pissa, or excellent.
September 6, 2023
Around the World in 80 Words is the classic bathroom reader: interminably dull if read straight through, but quite pleasant if read in small chunks. I experienced it both ways as I read an entry here and there until finding my library copy wildly overdue.
The speed-read to the 80th word really clarified for me that the author is a Brit. Many of the words and phrases he notes were completely unknown to this Yankee reader. It's also the case that the author liked to call out phrases that have been obsolete for 200 years, so don't necessarily read this looking for fun origins of everyday language.
All told, a quality perusal for some neat fun facts, but those fun facts are maybe a little too few and far between. 80 words could have been 40 more satisfying words.
The speed-read to the 80th word really clarified for me that the author is a Brit. Many of the words and phrases he notes were completely unknown to this Yankee reader. It's also the case that the author liked to call out phrases that have been obsolete for 200 years, so don't necessarily read this looking for fun origins of everyday language.
All told, a quality perusal for some neat fun facts, but those fun facts are maybe a little too few and far between. 80 words could have been 40 more satisfying words.
September 6, 2020
This was a very easy background listen, and done in an enjoyable way, but ultimately for a very niche market. The style of writing is good fun, easy and accessible without being patronising, and the contents are very interesting. I imagine a hard copy is very easy to dip and and out of. But the paperback is going to be £14 and I'm sorry but I don't think that's going to be justified. It was going to be a hard sell anyway.
May 16, 2022
Another in the "Around the World in 80 Things" series. This one looks at the geographic origins of English language sayings and words. A fun and sharply written book filled with little asides and enough stories to ensure everyone learns something new.
Don't be like the saddler of Bawtry, have a Daiquiri, and cheers the Siege of Gibraltar!
Don't be like the saddler of Bawtry, have a Daiquiri, and cheers the Siege of Gibraltar!
December 4, 2023
Often very entertaining but sometimes a bit dull. Doesn't help that so many of the words and expressions here are ones i have never heard of. I'm very well-read, my degree is in English etc. and half of the terms were examples that sound like they stopped being in common parlance since the early 1900s.
January 4, 2021
I'm fairly certain that this book was written just for me! An absolute delightful jaunt through the world, stopping to examine the place names that have contributed to the English language. Travel + language trivia + British slang and colloquialisms? Yeahhhh that's got me written all over it.
March 2, 2025
Interesting, chatty exploration of words derived from places.
June 12, 2019
What is says on the cover.
An interesting look at words that various countries have given the English language.
Though you would be hard pressed to find anyone outside of New Zealand and Australia who uses the word "Karitane".
An interesting look at words that various countries have given the English language.
Though you would be hard pressed to find anyone outside of New Zealand and Australia who uses the word "Karitane".
December 7, 2020
Charming, focused on British English so parts may befuddle those of us from elsewhere. Recommended for readers who enjoy linguistics and geography.
Read
November 21, 2020dnf at 40%
the knowledge is interesting but the backstory of some words isn't as engaging as I'd hoped so...
the knowledge is interesting but the backstory of some words isn't as engaging as I'd hoped so...
January 15, 2020
This was a light, often humorous, look at the origin of some modern, but mostly archaic, words. The round the world trip worked quite well, providing an interesting way of selecting some words out of the large pool of words that the author seems to know. As with the other books he's written, this is probably best read in small servings, otherwise the charm is lost.
June 29, 2025
This was a really fun read.
To begin, I found the choices of entries to be surprising and unexpected. The author clearly wanted to choose interesting deep cuts of the English lexicon over obvious additions. Using the French entry to talk about 'Zabernism' instead of something more obvious like French cuisine is unexpected and encourages a good curiosity of the reader. On that note, I also appreciated the author referencing many older (at some points archaic) phrases in our language. The book's reliance not only upon phrases that exist in modern English makes it feel more expansive and timeless. Another aspect I enjoyed is that all entries are treated with equal importance and reverence. The countries and places this book goes are far and wide, not just relying on European entries which makes me feel that the book more than earns its title.
I only have a few complaints: There were some literary few faux pas such as the overuse of clichés like 'namecheck' appearing thrice in a single entry, and the unforgivable sin (I'm being facetious) of "Egyptian hieroglyphics." 'Hieroglyphic' is an adjective, 'hieroglyph' is the noun. Also, some kind of pronunciation help (either standard IPA or general phonetic transcription) would be a nice addition for a lot of the words that don't have them.
This was an overall enjoyable read and would make a great gift for a casual language enthusiast.
To begin, I found the choices of entries to be surprising and unexpected. The author clearly wanted to choose interesting deep cuts of the English lexicon over obvious additions. Using the French entry to talk about 'Zabernism' instead of something more obvious like French cuisine is unexpected and encourages a good curiosity of the reader. On that note, I also appreciated the author referencing many older (at some points archaic) phrases in our language. The book's reliance not only upon phrases that exist in modern English makes it feel more expansive and timeless. Another aspect I enjoyed is that all entries are treated with equal importance and reverence. The countries and places this book goes are far and wide, not just relying on European entries which makes me feel that the book more than earns its title.
I only have a few complaints: There were some literary few faux pas such as the overuse of clichés like 'namecheck' appearing thrice in a single entry, and the unforgivable sin (I'm being facetious) of "Egyptian hieroglyphics." 'Hieroglyphic' is an adjective, 'hieroglyph' is the noun. Also, some kind of pronunciation help (either standard IPA or general phonetic transcription) would be a nice addition for a lot of the words that don't have them.
This was an overall enjoyable read and would make a great gift for a casual language enthusiast.
November 14, 2021
What I enjoy most about a book is how much new knowledge a book provides- the context of that new information and its presentation also matters. The beauty of language is not really a priority when I read. Well, what happens when the book is about language itself? here perhaps the flow of writing does make a difference and that is why I had to cut down on one star and rate it four. The content is fantastic and the book is packed with etymological references and funny stories. The best part was, me reading about Gibraltar as the ship I was sailing on crossed the straits of Gibraltar.
I learnt many new words and so many etymological facts that I was finally overwhelmed by them. Perhaps someday, I will re-read the book again, just to recollect the interesting stories. Also, Asia is a source of many words in English- just felt a bit underwhelmed when it came to Asian places the book covered.
I learnt many new words and so many etymological facts that I was finally overwhelmed by them. Perhaps someday, I will re-read the book again, just to recollect the interesting stories. Also, Asia is a source of many words in English- just felt a bit underwhelmed when it came to Asian places the book covered.
January 12, 2021
I have a soft spot for trivia and curiosities, so decided to give this a go. It's engagingly written, taking the reader around the world (or at least the parts of the world that lend us English words. Not so much from Asia). And there are some entertaining examples of mangled translations (the Brazil nut has a convoluted story, and the Ecuadorians were robbed in not getting namechecked for the Panama hat)> The only shame is that for every common word (tuxedo, bikini, limerick) there are several that have fallen out of favour. I'm from New Zealand and had never heard of the single word from that country, karitane!
I also found that the rattling off of extra words around each place (making it far more than 80) was exhausting at times. However it's an intriguing book. Were I more linguistically inclined I'd give this a 4.
I also found that the rattling off of extra words around each place (making it far more than 80) was exhausting at times. However it's an intriguing book. Were I more linguistically inclined I'd give this a 4.
March 19, 2023
This is an interesting book that looks at 80 words used in English that take their names from placenames around the world and explains the etymology of the words and the journey each one took to become part of our language.
Some words are very common such as china, turkey and brazil nut, while others were once in use but are no more such as Kent St ejectment.
Some of the etymologies are straightforward while others take us on diverting journeys - Panama hats for example originated in Ecuador.
Paul Anthony Jones writes in an entertaining manner and with humour. My only gripe as a Kiwi is his reference to North and South Islands in the section on New Zealand, when they are always referred to with the definite article, The North Island and The South Island.
Some words are very common such as china, turkey and brazil nut, while others were once in use but are no more such as Kent St ejectment.
Some of the etymologies are straightforward while others take us on diverting journeys - Panama hats for example originated in Ecuador.
Paul Anthony Jones writes in an entertaining manner and with humour. My only gripe as a Kiwi is his reference to North and South Islands in the section on New Zealand, when they are always referred to with the definite article, The North Island and The South Island.
May 15, 2021
An easy read, but annoying in places. Some of the "words" derived from place names are in fact phrases, or sayings, for one thing. Some of the words/sayings have long dropped out of usage: Jones acknowledges this, while delineating more current words and sayings derived from his given city headings in the middle of the chapters. One error stood out in the book: Newfoundland (and Labrador) did not join Canada in 1933, as he states, but in 1949. In 1933 the Newfoundland government went from being a dominion to being under a commission of government administered by the UK. This is nitpicking, but Jones makes a point in his text of not accepting folk etymology.
May 3, 2023
I'm a sucker for a light-hearted book on etymology, and this is, well, one of those. Here, the conceit is a linguistic world tour, revealing which words have come to the English language from other nations. There are plenty of interesting anecdotes, but far too many words (it's not even worth listing examples here) which are completely absent from contemporary use, i.e., not really worth mentioning (I don't really need to know a random word that existed for a few decades in the 18th Century and then fell out of favor).
Still, an interesting enough read if books of this ilk are to your liking.
Still, an interesting enough read if books of this ilk are to your liking.
May 14, 2023
I read this a few chapters at a time before bed. It's just 80 short stories about the etymology of certain English words and phrases. It often made me sleepy so it did it's job. Despite the sleepiness, some of the stories were very interesting. I will always remember the first story, that of the Kent Street Ejectment, which I think is rather a good idea. And my dad always used to say we were going to Timbuktu so that was a fun chapter to read. The author ended each chapter with a light note or a little joke which I enjoyed. I don't suppose I will remember most of this book, but I have fond memories of it and will probably come back to it at some later time.
November 8, 2023
A dipper of a book, with some fascinating etymological histories of words and place-names, that roughly, journeys around the planet. It is entertaining to drop in and out of as you go through the book, though I feel some of the selections involve some obsolete words that I can't imagine have been in modern use for decades if not centuries, which I can't help feel is a bit cheeky. Not sure why, the stories behind the words are interesting, but I suppose I thought it would be roughly speaking 80 words or short phrases of words that are in current usage. Many are, but the author has definitely smuggled in a fair few eccentric choices! But, the stories are nevertheless interesting.
June 21, 2021
This is a really interesting book for anyone remotely interested in etymology. There's also plenty of history and geography to be had as well!
I found his approach to be good and sensible geographically, and while I knew several of the words (and even a few of the origin stories) prior to this book, there were plenty of words I didn't know.
Funnily enough, I had just finished reading the early chapters of this book when questions came up on them in a trivia contest I was in--I came up a winner twice thanks to this book!
I found his approach to be good and sensible geographically, and while I knew several of the words (and even a few of the origin stories) prior to this book, there were plenty of words I didn't know.
Funnily enough, I had just finished reading the early chapters of this book when questions came up on them in a trivia contest I was in--I came up a winner twice thanks to this book!
May 23, 2022
This was a light and engaging popular science trip through sociohistorical linguistics. The author uses stories rather than detailed linguistic methodology to teach the history of vocabulary incorporated into the English language following colonialism, trade, travel, and globalization. Great style, witty but succinct and full of trivia. The "Around the World in 80 Days" premise kept the content balanced and organized, and although I read straight through, it would also be an easy book to dip in and out of.
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