Toponymity: An Atlas of Words

by John Bemelmans Marciano

It's no secret that America's cookouts owe a lot to the exports of the European towns of Frankfurt and Hamburg, but we may not realize how much we've taken from two Budweis and Pilsen. Likewise, we know who to thank for Panama hats and Bermuda shorts. But did you know that Tuxedo Park, New York, brought Americans a staple of formal wear? Or that the Bikini Atoll gave us something dramatically less formal?In this ingenious follow-up to the popular Anonyponymous, John Bemelmans Marciano brings us a new, geographical, way of thinking about words. This book takes us on a lively tour of American, European, and world history, revealing our linguistic heritage in all its richness and?to use another toponym?serendipity. Illustrated with maps drawn in Marciano's witty style, this book is consistently smart, entertaining, and enlightening. It makes a perfect gift for language lovers, whether they come from Cologne, Germany, or the Canary Islands.

Genres: Nonfiction, Language, Writing, Reference

170 pages, Hardcover

First published October 26, 2010

About the author

John Bemelmans Marciano carries on the legacy begun by his grandfather, Ludwig Bemelmans, author and illustrator of the Madeline books, with stunning watercolor artwork and playful, energetic storytelling.

Reviews

[Arleen Shulman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute little book for a word nerd like me. Even the footnotes are amusing.

[Karen Dransfield · Rating 4 out of 5]

Give me a picture book or fiction book and I can keep at it and read through it. This one took me a while to read through it all since it was all in alphabetical order. It's an atlas of words from all over the world and explains their origins. Where and when they came from and how they came to be what they are today. It was very interesting to read all the history of some of the words. It just took me renewing the book and then keeping it longer than issued so I had to pay a fine just to finish it :)

[Brenda Osborne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dry but interesting history of words that originated from place names. The one I found the most interesting was the word tarantula. It came to us by way of the Italian city Taranto. This city is of interest to me as my Italian great grandparents immigrated from that city.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

An amusing little book to dip into, especially if you’re into etymology. I doubt I’ll remember many of the word origins, though they were interesting. All the better; I’ll be happy to read it again in future.

I liked that the word “coach” came from a town in Hungary, Kocs, that made the first carriages with the “vehicle’s body suspended from its wheelbase.” Then that “In 1830’s Oxford slang, the tutor who carried you through your exams and delivered you to your destination (namely, graduation) was your coach.

[Richard Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book I've read by Marciano. The first was titled "Anonyponymous." A toponym is a word derived from a place. For example; Limerick (Ireland), gyp (Egypt), magnet (Magnesia, Italy) and so on. The author's writing is informal and laced with humor. Perhaps the highlight of the work are the delightful maps Marciano provides.

[Kristin Easterling · Rating 3 out of 5]

The sequel to Anonyponymous, Toponymity is a good book for history and word buffs. I didn't always enjoy the humor or language, but it was informative in a non-academic way, making it a fast and entertaining read.

[CR Williams · Rating 3 out of 5]

more a diversionary than a real read.

[Dalen · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you enjoy words and are curious about the origin of words, this book is for you. Albeit, it's kind of like reading a dictionary. But, it was a fun read.