A Century of New Words

John Ayto

Oxford University Press, 2007 - Language Arts & Disciplines - 250 pages

Take a fascinating journey from plastic (1909) to podcasting (2004). This vivid picture of the last 105 years is based on John Ayto's critically acclaimed Twentieth Century Words, and was published in hardback as Movers and Shakers: A chronology of words that shaped our age. It offers aselection of the key words added to the English language in the twentieth century and the early years of the twenty-first, grouped by decade. An introductory essay identifies the main historical, cultural, and scientific currents running through each decade, and shows how they contributed newvocabulary to the language. An A-Z listing of words which were first recorded in that decade follows, selected for their resonance to today's world. Each word is fully described and its origins explained. A final section looks at vocabulary developments of the new millennium. Full of surprises, thisbook is at once a glimpse of the past and a handbook for today.

Contents

• The 1990s: 7
• The 1910s: 33
• The 1920s: 57
• The 1930s: 81
• The 1940s: 109
• The 1950s: 135
• The 1960s: 157
• The 1970s: 181
• The 1980s: 203
• The 1990s and 2000s: 227
• Index: 245

About the author

Dr John Ayto is an experienced lexicographer and author of several language titles. His previous books for OUP includeThe Oxford Dictionary of Slang, The Oxford Dictionary of Modern Slang, and The Oxford Essential Guide to the English Language. His most recent book was 20th Century Words (OUP, 1999), which was reviewed as 'An absolutely terrific book, brimming with nostalgia, thoroughly addictive and full of surprises'. He edited the latest edition of Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable.

Bibliographic information

• Title: A Century of New Words; A Century of New Words, John Ayto; Oxford paperback reference
• Author: John Ayto
• Edition: illustrated, revised
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2007
• ISBN: 0199213690, 9780199213696
• Length: 250 pages
• Subjects: Language Arts & Disciplines / Linguistics / Etymology; Language Arts & Disciplines / Linguistics / General; Reference / Word Lists