The secret life of words : how English became English / Henry Hitchings.

1st American ed.

9780374254100 (alk. paper)
0374254109 (alk. paper)
9780719564543 (alk. paper)
0719564549 (alk. paper)

New York : Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008.

English

440 p. ; 24 cm.

PE1580 .H45 2008

422

"The Secret Life of Words is a wide-ranging account not only of the history of English language and vocabulary, but also of how words witness history, reflect social change, and remind us of our past. Henry Hitchings delves into the insatiable, ever-changing English language and reveals how and why it has absorbed words from more than 350 other languages - many originating from the most unlikely of places, such as shampoo from Hindi and kiosk from Turkish. From the Norman Conquest to the present day, Hitchings narrates the story of English as a living archive of our human experience. He uncovers the secrets behind everyday words and explores the surprising origins of our most commonplace expressions. The Secret Life of Words is a rich, lively celebration of the language and vocabulary that we too often take for granted."--Jacket.

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

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