etymology

"The English language is made up of words from different places, events, and periods of time. Each of those words has [a] story to tell us about where, when, how, and why they came about. 'Once Upon a Word' is packed with easy-to-understand definitions and . . . word-origin stories"--Back cover.

For the first time ever, this thrilling literary detective story, doubling as a celebration of words, language, people and one of mankind's greatest achievements, unravels the mystery of the contributors from around the world who, for over seventy years, helped to codify the way we read, write and speak.

"Eddie and MJ use their awesome enchanted book to journey to Mexico, discover how Mexican culture has influenced the English language, learn about local customs, and solve an exciting mystery"--Back cover.

Discusses the etymology and uses of a number of words, organized by what time of the day they can be used.

Eddie and MJ are suddenly transported to India where they must use their word knowledge to solve a mystery and help their new friend Dev save his school.

"In Around the World in 80 Words, Jones tells the story of eighty English-language words that are specially related to a place. He tells us, for example, where the name for the Canary Islands came from, the relationship between the town of J?chymov in the Czech Republic and the word "dollar," and he dispels the myth that the term "limerick" comes from the last name of Edward Lear. Throughout this engaging journey, the reader gains valuable insights into culture and history through the intersection of language and place"--Provided by publisher.

Provides the history, the origins, and the usage of more than 3,000 words from a variety of disciplines.

A dictionary of over 1,500 word histories, explaining the origins of such terms as catch-22, lackadaisical, and potpourri.

Discusses how language began, the beginning of English, Chaucer, Shakespeare, names and their origin.

"Explores the global diversity hidden in the English language by explaining the origins of words like 'ukulele,' 'zero,' and 'safari'"--Provided by publisher.