One of the best writiers of short essays in English.--Newsweek
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Well known as a writer about science ( The Lives of a Cell, 1974; The Medusa and the Snail, LJ 4/15/79), Thomas has applied his probing mind to etymology, here tracing English words back to their Indo-European, Greek, Sanskrit, Anglo-Saxon, Latin, or Romance language variants in both form and meaning. Although Thomas surely enjoyed the hunt, the reader is presented with a hodgepodge of words not easily remembered in chapters entitled "Sew, Bear, Brother, Dew etc.," "Fastidious, Answer, Grammar etc.," and "Scrutiny, Frenetic, Bother, Stop etc." This thin volume is not thorough enough to be an etymological reference and not interesting enough to be entertaining for word fanciers.
- Kitty Chen Dean, Nassau Coll., Garden City, N.Y.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
In these short, investigative essays, Thomas explores words' origins and historical transformations, remarks on words he considers particularly likable or deplorable, and muses on the probable development of a universal language. According to PW , "Thomas's gentle ruminations will be enjoyed by those who share his etymological enchantment."
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Shipping:
FREE
Within U.S.A.
Seller: SecondSale, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Item in good condition. Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00071376199
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: SecondSale, Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Condition: Acceptable. Item in good condition. Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00071116482
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: BooksRun, Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Ship within 24hrs. Satisfaction 100% guaranteed. APO/FPO addresses supported. Seller Inventory # 0140158758-8-1
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
Condition: Very Good. Very Good condition. A copy that may have a few cosmetic defects. May also contain light spine creasing or a few markings such as an owner's name, short gifter's inscription or light stamp. Seller Inventory # K08R-00301
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.
Condition: Good. Good condition. A copy that has been read but remains intact. May contain markings such as bookplates, stamps, limited notes and highlighting, or a few light stains. Bundled media such as CDs, DVDs, floppy disks or access codes may not be included. Seller Inventory # T12H-02431
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.45. Seller Inventory # G0140158758I3N00
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.45. Seller Inventory # G0140158758I4N00
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.45. Seller Inventory # G0140158758I4N10
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.45. Seller Inventory # G0140158758I4N00
Quantity: 1 available
Seller: ThriftBooks-Reno, Reno, NV, U.S.A.
Paperback. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 0.45. Seller Inventory # G0140158758I3N00
Quantity: 1 available