BALLYHOO BUCKAROO & SPUDSThe real story of a word or phrase’s origin and evolution is often much stranger—and much more humorous—than the commonly accepted one; the many entries will certainly leave you “happy as a clam.” Happy as a clam? Really, what’s so happy about being a clam? The saying makes much more sense when it’s paired with its missing second half: “at high water.” Now a clam at high water is a safe clam, and thus a happy clam. From the bawdy to the sublime, Quinion’s explanations and delightful asides truly prove that the “proof is in the pudding.” |
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Ballyhoo, Buckaroo, and Spuds: Ingenious Tales of Words and Their Origins
User Review - Not Available - Book VerdictFolk etymology, namely, stories describing word origins, takes the stage as Quinion narrates and evaluates competing explanations of a word's or phrase's evolution. A contributor to the venerable OED ... Read full review
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Ballyhoo, Buckaroo, and Spuds: Ingenious Tales of Words and Their Origins Michael Quinion Limited preview - 2006 |
Common terms and phrases
abbreviation acronym actually American American English applied associated Australian Barry Humphries Barry Popik became borrowed brass brass monkey Britain British called card shark certainly comes common confusion connection corruption dates derives devil dialect drink Dutch early eighteenth century Eric Partridge etymologists etymology example explain expression famous French word full monty Gerald Cohen German idea invented Irish Italian jazz kangaroo known language later Latin literally London looks meaning meant medieval newspaper nickname nineteenth century Old English Old French older one's origin Oxford English Dictionary perhaps person phrase plausible popular posh recorded reference Scots seems seventeenth century ship sixteenth century slang term sometimes sort Spanish spelling square story suggested supposedly sure teetotally theory there's no evidence Thomas Crapper tion told turned usually verb widely word history World World Wide Words writers York
Bibliographic information
| Title | BALLYHOO BUCKAROO & SPUDS |
| Author | Quinion M |
| Publisher | Smithsonian, 2004 |
| Original from | the University of Michigan |
| Digitized | Apr 30, 2008 |
| ISBN | 1588342190, 9781588342195 |
| Length | 280 pages |
| Subjects | › Language Arts & Disciplines / Reference |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |