The Origins of English Words: A Discursive Dictionary of Indo-European RootsJHU Press, 2001 M07 1 - 672 pages There 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. |
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... , we are told, fell first upon their knees and then upon the aborigines. There followed our first Thanksgiving. From this root probably air: of cattle of good stock, as also in “an air of distinction.” Fr, debonair. Possibly area;
... , we are told, fell first upon their knees and then upon the aborigines. There followed our first Thanksgiving. From this root probably air: of cattle of good stock, as also in “an air of distinction.” Fr, debonair. Possibly area;
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... probably related is the dangerous nighttime, L nox, noctis; see nekut. La Rochefoucauld, in Maxims (1665), observed: “Age loves to give good precepts, to console itself for being no longer able to give bad examples.” King Solomon and ...
... probably related is the dangerous nighttime, L nox, noctis; see nekut. La Rochefoucauld, in Maxims (1665), observed: “Age loves to give good precepts, to console itself for being no longer able to give bad examples.” King Solomon and ...
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... probably from in salo: in the salt (sea). Thus also islet, as the islets of Langerhans (P. Langerhans, d. 1888) in the pancreas, source of insulin. Reil's island (Johann C. Reil, d. 1813) is a tiny lobe of the cerebrum, in the deep ...
... probably from in salo: in the salt (sea). Thus also islet, as the islets of Langerhans (P. Langerhans, d. 1888) in the pancreas, source of insulin. Reil's island (Johann C. Reil, d. 1813) is a tiny lobe of the cerebrum, in the deep ...
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... probably from Semitic). dianthus. Prefix anth, as anthesis: a flower's span of life, from bud to fall of seed. OED gives 40 relevant words beginnning anth. anthos; see urod. For anthro: man, as prefix, see nert. Suffix anthous, as ...
... probably from Semitic). dianthus. Prefix anth, as anthesis: a flower's span of life, from bud to fall of seed. OED gives 40 relevant words beginnning anth. anthos; see urod. For anthro: man, as prefix, see nert. Suffix anthous, as ...
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... of a jackass and a mare. For ass, see asinus— though asinine refers to humans. The donkey, a domesticated ass, is named for its dun color (see dheu I); the ending is probably influenced by monkey. For ass, the buttocks, see ors. The.
... of a jackass and a mare. For ass, see asinus— though asinine refers to humans. The donkey, a domesticated ass, is named for its dun color (see dheu I); the ending is probably influenced by monkey. For ass, the buttocks, see ors. The.
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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 associated beauty became bird body called coined color columns comes common compounds Dictionary earlier early earth element ending England English especially figuratively folkchanged four French frequent genus gives Greek hand head hence hold horse human imitative Italy John King known land language later Latin leaves letters light lists literally live Lord mark meaning meant mind nature never Note one’s originally perhaps person pictured plant play Possibly prefix probably referred Roman root says sense Shakespeare shape short shortened song sound speaks stand star suggested term things translation tree turn usually whence woman words beginning wrote young