Presenting a tour of English from its mongrel origins to its status as the world's most-spoken tongue; its apparent simplicity to its deceptive complexity; its vibrant swearing to its uncertain spelling and pronunciation, this book covers curious eccentricities that make it as maddening to learn and as flexible to use.

English is enriched with many borrowings and influences from other languages. Aficionado, chutzpah, pro bono, hoi polloi, ketchup, nous, zeitgeist - we use these foreign words every day without thinking of their origins, but what do they actually mean? This book offers information for 'connoisseurs' (French) of the English language.

How on earth did 'with bells on' come to express enthusiasm? Why is good health compared to a small stringed instrument? And what do pickles have to do with quandaries? This work provides us with the meanings to these well-worn and much-loved phrases by putting these linguistic quirks in context, and explaining how and why they were first used.

Takes you on a series of excursions down the curious byways of word history and meaning, mingling the fare with games, lists, tests, and quotes. This book helps you learn about the words that are never spoken and others that don't get written.

Helps you discover different sorts of words you've always wished existed but never knew, such as fornale, to spend one's money before it has been earned; cagg, a solemn vow or resolution not to get drunk for a certain time; and petrichor, the pleasant smell that accompanies the first rain after a dry spell.

Sparkling with insight and linguistic curiosity, this delightful compendium answers 101 of the most intriguing questions about the English language, from word origins and spelling to grammar and usage. Irresistible to anyone with an interest in the words around them.

Have you ever wondered what phrases such as 'square meal', 'load of old codswallop', 'egg on your face' or 'in the limelight' mean? Where do they come from? Have you ever taken a moment to wonder what we say actually means? This book explains the origins of hundreds of common phrases.

Journey into the history of English and discover how words have been absorbed into our language to make it what it is today

New edition, including free CD.

A new account of the peculiar syntax of psychological verbs argues that experiencers are grammaticalized as locative phrases.

Second Edition presenting an overhaul of its subject for a new generation of language-lovers.

Introduces students to the key concepts faced when studying Applied Linguistics. Suitable for postgraduate students, this book presents an overview of the area, and also provides a reference point for the study skills needed for academic reading and writing.

The English language is crammed with colorful phrases and sayings that we use without thinking every day. This book explores the origins of phrases from the rich traditions of the navy, army and law to confidence tricksters and highwaymen, from the practices of ancient civilizations to Music Hall and pubs.

A compendium of some 1,000 words and phrases from twenty different languages that are used in English.

Describes a range of the most important kinds of texts in English and introduces methodological techniques used to analyse them.

An accessible, lively A-Z of over 3,000 words and their origins, drawn from Oxford's unrivalled dictionary research and language monitoring. Ideal for language lovers and students alike, The Insect That Stole Butter? relates the fascinating stories behind many of our most curious words and expressions.

A collection of delicious morsels that celebrate the richness, ridiculousness and resilience of language.

A treasury of unusual words