The Origins of English Words: A Discursive Dictionary of Indo-European RootsThere are no direct records of the original Indo-European speech. By comparing the vocabularies of its various descendants, however, it is possible to reconstruct the basic Indo-European roots with considerable confidence. In The Origins of English Words, Shipley catalogues these proposed roots and follows the often devious, always fascinating, process by which some of their offshoots have grown. Anecdotal, eclectic, and always enthusiastic, The Origins of English Words is a diverting expedition beyond linguistics into literature, history, folklore, anthropology, philosophy, and science. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 77
Page xiii
In law , after a woman's name , con . means wife ( Latin conjunx , joined ) ; and crim . con . is the legal euphemism for unlawful sexual intercourse . Nor is this all . As a prefix , con- may mean against , as in contradict , control .
In law , after a woman's name , con . means wife ( Latin conjunx , joined ) ; and crim . con . is the legal euphemism for unlawful sexual intercourse . Nor is this all . As a prefix , con- may mean against , as in contradict , control .
Page xiv
An androgyne is a man with marked characteristics of a woman ; a gynander is a woman with marked characteristics of a man . We may call either of these a hermaphrodite , from a Greek myth : the son of Hermes and Aphrodite ...
An androgyne is a man with marked characteristics of a woman ; a gynander is a woman with marked characteristics of a man . We may call either of these a hermaphrodite , from a Greek myth : the son of Hermes and Aphrodite ...
Page xix
Greek u is usually turned into English y , as gune , woman , gives us gyne- cology . The Oxford English Dictionary lists hubristic as " irregular for hybristic . " Words beginning with i in Greek or Latin may begin with j or y in ...
Greek u is usually turned into English y , as gune , woman , gives us gyne- cology . The Oxford English Dictionary lists hubristic as " irregular for hybristic . " Words beginning with i in Greek or Latin may begin with j or y in ...
Page xxi
By the natives of India the two sounds might be confusedly combined , as Rudyard Kipling noted : the woman of Shamlegh tells Kim that , although she is now an unbeliever , she once was a Ker - listian ( Christian ) .
By the natives of India the two sounds might be confusedly combined , as Rudyard Kipling noted : the woman of Shamlegh tells Kim that , although she is now an unbeliever , she once was a Ker - listian ( Christian ) .
Page xxv
... in ancient times , the operation was performed only on an already dead woman , to try to save her unborn child . ) Mastectomy is the removal of a breast ; orchidectomy , of a testicle ( orchis , orchidem ; the flower named from the ...
... in ancient times , the operation was performed only on an already dead woman , to try to save her unborn child . ) Mastectomy is the removal of a breast ; orchidectomy , of a testicle ( orchis , orchidem ; the flower named from the ...
What people are saying - Write a review
We haven't found any reviews in the usual places.
Other editions - View all
The Origins of English Words: A Discursive Dictionary of Indo-European Roots Joseph Twadell Shipley No preview available - 2001 |
Common terms and phrases
ancient animal applied bhel bird called caput coined columns comes compounds dheigh dheigh N dheu earlier early earth element ending England English especially figuratively four French frequent genus gher gives Greek hand head hence horse human imitative Italy John King kleu known Latin letters lists literally live Lord meaning meant nebh Note one's onomen originally perhaps person plant play plek Possibly prefix probably Roman root says sense Shakespeare shape song sound speaks stand ster suer term things tree turn ueid usually whence woman words beginning
Bibliographic information
| Title | The Origins of English Words: A Discursive Dictionary of Indo-European Roots |
| Author | Joseph Twadell Shipley |
| Edition | reprint |
| Publisher | JHU Press, 2001 |
| ISBN | 0801867843, 9780801867842 |
| Length | 672 pages |
| Export Citation | BiBTeX EndNote RefMan |