The Etymologicon

The Etymologicon

2012 • 279 pages

Ratings25

Average rating3.8

15

Springing from writer and journalist Mark Forsyth's hugely popular blog The Inky Fool and including word-connection parlour games perfect for any word-lovers get-together, The Etymologicon is a brilliant map of the secret labyrinth that lurks beneath the English language. There's always a connection. Sometimes, it's obvious: an actor's role was once written on a roll of parchment, and cappuccinos are the same color as the robes of a Capuchin monk. Sometimes the connection is astonishing and a little more hidden: who would have guessed that your pants and panties are named after Saint Pantaleon, the all-compassionate?


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Popular Reviews

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Fun, but British English. I had never heard of several of the phrases used in the book, but the writing style was a level of snark I can truly appreciate.

March 6, 2017

Interesting and full of cocktail-party-friendly tidbits. But generally tedious. It's the same joke over and over. Witty, yes. Pedantic, absolutely. Dots well-connected? No. It's etymology without the ology. Not systemic. Simply a barrage of facts confused by word play. Read only with care.

October 9, 2016

Loved rereading this, but this time as the audiobook. The narrator got the tone perfectly and I burst out laughing several times (not ideal when walking along the street...)

November 23, 2016

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