Read POSH - Books Library

POSH

Michael Quinton

4.9/5 (18323 ratings)

Description:Can it really be that 'golf' stands for 'Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden'? Or that 'rule of thumb' comes from an archaic legal principle that a man may chatise his wife, but only with a rod no thicker than his thumb? Or that a 'wake' was so-called because the guests sat around to check that the corpse didn't wake up? These and hundreds of other stories are commonly told and retold whenever people meet. They grown up in part because expressions are often genuinely mysterious. Why, for example, are satisfying meals 'square' rather than any other shape? And how did anyone ever come up with the idea that if you're competent at something you can 'cut the mustard' ? People are so resourceful at explaining the inexplicable that there are at least a dozen plausible-sounding stories for the origins of phrases such as 'the full monty' , 'cocktail', or 'the real McCoy'. In Port Out Starboard Home, Michael Quinton, writer on language and researcher for the OED, retells many of the more bizarre tales, and explains their real origins where they're known. The expressions he reviews come from through-out the English-speaking world, from 'dinkum' and 'cater-cornered' to 'wet one's whistle' and 'the whole nine yards'. It's a fascinating treasure-trove of fiction and fact for anyone interested in language.We have made it easy for you to find a PDF Ebooks without any digging. And by having access to our ebooks online or by storing it on your computer, you have convenient answers with POSH. To get started finding POSH, you are right to find our website which has a comprehensive collection of manuals listed.
Our library is the biggest of these that have literally hundreds of thousands of different products represented.

Pages: 280

Format: PDF, EPUB & Kindle Edition

Publisher: Penguin

Release: 2005

ISBN

Description: Can it really be that 'golf' stands for 'Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden'? Or that 'rule of thumb' comes from an archaic legal principle that a man may chatise his wife, but only with a rod no thicker than his thumb? Or that a 'wake' was so-called because the guests sat around to check that the corpse didn't wake up? These and hundreds of other stories are commonly told and retold whenever people meet. They grown up in part because expressions are often genuinely mysterious. Why, for example, are satisfying meals 'square' rather than any other shape? And how did anyone ever come up with the idea that if you're competent at something you can 'cut the mustard' ? People are so resourceful at explaining the inexplicable that there are at least a dozen plausible-sounding stories for the origins of phrases such as 'the full monty' , 'cocktail', or 'the real McCoy'. In Port Out Starboard Home, Michael Quinton, writer on language and researcher for the OED, retells many of the more bizarre tales, and explains their real origins where they're known. The expressions he reviews come from through-out the English-speaking world, from 'dinkum' and 'cater-cornered' to 'wet one's whistle' and 'the whole nine yards'. It's a fascinating treasure-trove of fiction and fact for anyone interested in language.We have made it easy for you to find a PDF Ebooks without any digging. And by having access to our ebooks online or by storing it on your computer, you have convenient answers with POSH. To get started finding POSH, you are right to find our website which has a comprehensive collection of manuals listed.
Our library is the biggest of these that have literally hundreds of thousands of different products represented.

Special Offer | $0.00

Special Offer! | $0.00

POSH

POSH

More Books

Ghost of the Forest: The Great Gray Owl

Ghost of the Forest: The Great Gray Owl

Dissent: A Charity Romance Anthology

Dissent: A Charity Romance Anthology

The Questioning Miss Quinton (Alphabet Series, #7)

The Questioning Miss Quinton (Alphabet Series, #7)

Island of Life: Wildlife of Greater Yellowstone

Island of Life: Wildlife of Greater Yellowstone

The Goshawk: Phantom Hunter Of The North

The Goshawk: Phantom Hunter Of The North

THE QI CODE: The Tech-Savvy Guide to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Meridians & the 5 Elements (Spanish Edition)

THE QI CODE: The Tech-Savvy Guide to Traditional Chinese Medicine, Meridians & the 5 Elements (Spanish Edition)

EL CÓDIGO DEL QI: Hackea Tu Energía Vital con el Sistema de los Antiguos Maestros | Medicina China y Taoísmo Práctico para la Vida Moderna (Spanish Edition)

EL CÓDIGO DEL QI: Hackea Tu Energía Vital con el Sistema de los Antiguos Maestros | Medicina China y Taoísmo Práctico para la Vida Moderna (Spanish Edition)

THE GREAT GRAY OWL, LIFE OF A FOREST HUNTER

THE GREAT GRAY OWL, LIFE OF A FOREST HUNTER

Rare Prince's Theatre Bristol The Merry Widow Programme (1909); Burrow's Pointer Guide Map of the City and County of Bristol [1955] (2 volumes)

Rare Prince's Theatre Bristol The Merry Widow Programme (1909); Burrow's Pointer Guide Map of the City and County of Bristol [1955] (2 volumes)