Why Do We Say That? 101 Idioms, Phrases, Sayings & Facts! a Brief History on Where They Come From!
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Why do we say "no dice" when refusing someone's request? What do clouds and their ‟silver linings" have to do with our hopes and troubles? Why are some people born with a "silver spoon" in their mouth? What does it truly mean to be a "jack of all trades?" Like many people, you've probably used idioms or phrases like these without giving them a second thought. But if you were to take a moment to step back and learn about them, you'll be pleasantly surprised to discover the mesmerizing and sometiames outright bizarre origins to these fun sayings! In Why Do We Say That, we have curated 101 regularly used idioms, proverbs, turns of phrases, and colloquial terms that have the most fascinating backstories. For each phrase, we have explained how it was coined, how its use evolved through the ages, and how it gained its contemporary use. Inside you will discover: - Why people go "green with envy" instead of a different color - How "knocking on wood" gives you good luck - Why some people talk a lot of "mumbo jumbo" - How "Bob" can be everyone's uncle - Why someone would want to be a "devil's advocate" - And much, much more! Click the BUY NOW button at the top of the page to unravel the mysteries behind popular English idioms.
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Easy and quick read. I was expecting a lot more about the history of idioms: more historical tracking, their evolution through time, and examples of earliest times they were ever used. The author does provide the earliest use of some of the phrases. In most cases, he refers to who first coined the phrase and where it can be found, leaving the reader to pause and Google.
This book reads as a grammar or early middle school reference. The passages are short and concise and a good jumping-off point for those who like to dig deeper and explore a subject further. It’d make a fun read for reluctant readers as passages are very short, and it’d be equally as enjoyable for the ones who are always asking, “why?” It also makes for a nice palate cleanser in between more serious reads. I especially liked the little “Did You Know” blurbs the author included at the end of each of the chapters, like these two:
“There’s a 107-acre forest made up of a single tree. The “Trembling Giant” in Utah’s Fishlake National Forest includes over 47,000 quaking aspen trees that share the same root system. Some scientists estimate it’s close to a million years old.”
“The deepest mail box in the world is in a small Japanese fishing town called Susami, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. It’s an old-school red mailbox that’s located thirty-two feet (ten meters) under water, and divers often place waterproof letters there and they are then collected in regular intervals. The mailbox is quite active, as it receives one to five thousand pieces of mail annually.”