Origin Uncertain: Unraveling the Mysteries of Etymology

Lost origins of words revealed. We like to recount that goodbye started out as "god be with you," that whiskey comes from the Gaelic for "water of life," or that avocado originated as the Aztec word for "testicle." But there are many words with origins unknown, disputed, or so buried in old journals that they may as well be lost to the general public. In Origin Uncertain: Unraveling the Mysteries of Etymology, eminent etymologist Anatoly Liberman draws on his professional expertise and etymological database to tell the stories of less understood words such as nerd, fake, ain't, hitchhike, trash, curmudgeon, and quiz, as well as puzzling idioms like kick the bucket and pay through the nose. By casting a net so broadly, the book addresses language history, language usage (including grammar), history (both ancient and modern), religion, superstitions, and material culture. Writing in the spirit of adventure through the annals of word origins, Liberman also shows how historical linguists construct etymologies, how to evaluate competing explanations, and how to pursue further research.

Anatoly Liberman is Professor in the Department of German, Nordic, Slavic and Dutch at the University of Minnesota. He is a linguist, medievalist, etymologist, and poet who has published widely on word origins and etymology, including Word Origins . . . And How We Know Them (OUP 2005). He has written the "Oxford Etymologist" blog series for OUP since 2006.

ISBN: 9780197664919
Format: Hardback
Pages: 288
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Published: March 13, 2024

"We take words like house, home, bed, and cake for granted, but their origins are uncertain - who knew? Anatoly Liberman, the Oxford Etymologist knew, and while Origin Uncertain settles some etymological questions, it's best at telling the stories of what we don't and sometimes can't know about words. Much gibberish or rubbish has been written about English etymology - both words are discussed in Origin Uncertain - but Liberman speaks the truth from a lifetime of indefatigable research, and he delivers it to interested readers in just the right dose, short essays written with fascination and humor and facts galore. Read an essay a day, and when you finish, you'll look for the next installment. So many words, so many uncertainties - we'll never tire of Liberman's wordlore." --Michael Adams, Indiana University"The great etymologists, and Professor Lieberman undoubtedly stands among them, are language's Sherlock Holmeses. And his readers, whether professional lexicographers or 'logo-fascinated' amateurs, are happy to play a grateful Dr Watson, taking from his vast knowledge an expertise that is both scholarly and accessible, and above all wonderfully informative." --Jonathan Green, author of Green's Dictionary of Slang