The Roots of English: A Reader's Handbook of Word OriginsLike Joseph T. Shipley's Origins of English Words ( LJ 6/1/84), but in briefer compass, this book gives an entertaining and enlightening glimpse into the many fascinating word histories hidden in our English vocabulary. For anyone who even wondered how``tooth'' and ``dentist'' could be from the same source, or what ``futile'' has to do with ``funnel,'' Claiborne suggests sources for learning more. An index of English words gives access to the main listing of Indo-European roots in alphabetical order, each with its descendants in English--via Greek, Latin, French, or German. Uncertain or controversial etymologies are identified as such. A book that word buffs, linguists, and language teachers will enjoy.-- Catherine V. von Schon, SUNY at Stony Brook -Library Journal. |
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The Roots of English: A Reader's Handbook of Word Origins Robert Claiborne No preview available - 1989 |
Common terms and phrases
animal bend body borrowed break carry centuries changes close comes common Compounds connection course cover dealing DEIK derivatives descendants Dictionary draw earth English English words eventually example fall figurative Finally fish flat flow French GEN(h Germanic give given Greek hand head hence hold idea idiomatic Indo-European intricate Italy kind known land language later Latin lead less literally living look meaning meant measure mind move nally notes obvious one's oneself originally person possible probably push refer relative remote Roman root Sanskrit seize sense shining ship skin someone sometimes sort sound speak SPEK spelled split stand stick strike tell things thousand throw tongue tree turn twist usually various verb WEID whence GC whence L writing