Overview

'Brilliant for anyone interested in the effervescent oddness of English' --Stig Abell on Word Drops How does a rock become a cloud? There are strange and fascinating stories behind even the most familiar words in the English language. Many words have changed their meaning – often completely – and, as language continues to develop, those stories can say as much about the present as they do the past. Buxom, for instance, originally meant obedient. Busking meant piracy. Finance meant to ransom. A bimbo was originally a man, nice meant ignorant, glamour was originally magic and a cupboard was a table… Focusing on 100 surprising threads in the evolution of English, The Accidental Dictionary looks at the etymological origins and quirky developments that have led to the meanings we take for granted today. This is a rich and addictive treasure trove for wordsmiths and lovers of language.

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9781783962976

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Reviews

Check out @HaggardHawks' new book for more lovely facts on how words changed their meanings over time -- Greg Jenner, author of A Million Years in a Day; I love words, this is possibly my favourite book about words ... it's a fun read which will teach you a lot while making you feel like a clever person who reads the dictionary --Jennifer Waugh, blogger, afterthecredits.co.uk

Paul Anthony Jones's The Accidental Dictionary is certainly worth adding [to a bookshelf]. It's all about the changes in meaning that many words have experienced over the years. ... I knew very few of these, which is a good thing, and now I know more, which is a better one -- Marcus Berkmann, Spectator Christmas books 2016; Check out @HaggardHawks' new book for more lovely facts on how words changed their meanings over time -- Greg Jenner, author of A Million Years in a Day; His focus is on words that have since done a volte-face, with surprising and often comical results ... There's no need to know any of this... but it sure makes life a lot nicer to find these things out -- Madame J-Mo; Verbal hanky-panky at its best -- Sciencebase; A fantastic book -- Nudge-book.com; The short witty essays on each chosen word are fascinating ... The Accidental Dictionary is both fascinating and rigorous at the same time. Jones writes in an entertaining and informative way, and it is littered liberally with quotes and verse, making this an engaging book to read too. It is a great little book for the etymological nut; and for those that cherish the book this has a stunning gold leaf print on the cover -- HalfManHalfBook; Fun and informative -- Interesting Literature.com; A delight to read ... fun to have on the bookshelf and possibly a good extra Christmas present (yes it is getting closer) for the pedant in your life (even if it is you!) - Army Rumour Service; If you like Mashed Radish, then you'll love Paul Anthony Jones' latest book ... Each selection is pithy and engaging, making The Accidental Dictionary an ideal book to pick up whenever you need a funny yet informative break or burst of inspired word-nerdom. But I think you'll find, like me, that the word histories Jones' has curated - and his infectious enthusiasm for them - are hard to put down -- Mashed Radish; I'm always on the hunt for a book that will educate me while entertain me at the same time and I have to say this is the perfect combination ... A fun read -- After the Credits; A real delight ... hidden gems nestle on every page - jaffareadstoo.blogspot.co.uk; 'This is the perfect book for fans of language, people who thrive on knowing the unique meanings of words, the origins and the history of phrases. I would thoroughly recommend this book ... Probably one of my favourite books this year and one that I will be sure to return to many times' - thequietknitter.wordpress.com

Paul Anthony Jones's The Accidental Dictionary is certainly worth adding [to a bookshelf]. It's all about the changes in meaning that many words have experienced over the years. ... I knew very few of these, which is a good thing, and now I know more, which is a better one -- Marcus Berkmann, Spectator Christmas books 2016; Check out @HaggardHawks' new book for more lovely facts on how words changed their meanings over time -- Greg Jenner, author of A Million Years in a Day; His focus is on words that have since done a volte-face, with surprising and often comical results ... There's no need to know any of this... but it sure makes life a lot nicer to find these things out -- Madame J-Mo; Verbal hanky-panky at its best -- Sciencebase; A fantastic book -- Nudge-book.com; Fun and informative -- Interesting Literature.com; A delight to read ... fun to have on the bookshelf and possibly a good extra Christmas present (yes it is getting closer) for the pedant in your life (even if it is you!) - Army Rumour Service; If you like Mashed Radish, then you'll love Paul Anthony Jones' latest book ... Each selection is pithy and engaging, making The Accidental Dictionary an ideal book to pick up whenever you need a funny yet informative break or burst of inspired word-nerdom. But I think you'll find, like me, that the word histories Jones' has curated - and his infectious enthusiasm for them - are hard to put down -- Mashed Radish; I'm always on the hunt for a book that will educate me while entertain me at the same time and I have to say this is the perfect combination ... A fun read -- After the Credits; A real delight ... hidden gems nestle on every page - jaffareadstoo.blogspot.co.uk; 'This is the perfect book for fans of language, people who thrive on knowing the unique meanings of words, the origins and the history of phrases. I would thoroughly recommend this book ... Probably one of my favourite books this year and one that I will be sure to return to many times' - thequietknitter.wordpress.com

Paul Anthony Jones's The Accidental Dictionary is certainly worth adding [to a bookshelf]. It's all about the changes in meaning that many words have experienced over the years. ... I knew very few of these, which is a good thing, and now I know more, which is a better one -- Marcus Berkmann, Spectator Christmas books 2016; Check out @HaggardHawks' new book for more lovely facts on how words changed their meanings over time -- Greg Jenner, author of A Million Years in a Day; I love words, this is possibly my favourite book about words ... it's a fun read which will teach you a lot while making you feel like a clever person who reads the dictionary -- Jennifer Waugh, blogger, afterthecredits.co.uk; A real delight ... hidden gems nestle on every page - jaffareadstoo.blogspot.co.uk

Author Information

Paul Anthony Jones is something of a linguistic phenomenon. He runs the popular @HaggardHawks Twitter feed, blog and YouTube channel, revealing daily word facts to 60,000 engaged followers. His books include: Word Drops: A Sprinkling of Linguistic Curiosities (E&T, 2015), The Accidental Dictionary (E&T, 2016), The Cabinet of Linguistic Curiosities (E&T, 2017), Around the World in 80 Words (E&T, 2018), as well as several other books on trivia and language. He appears regularly in the media and has contributed to the Oxford and Cambridge dictionaries online. He is also a piano teacher and musician, and lives in Newcastle upon Tyne.

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