What is the actual connection between disgruntled and gruntled? What links church organs to organised crime, California to the Caliphate, or brackets to codpieces? The Etymologicon springs from Mark Forsyth's Inky Fool blog on the strange connections between words. It's an occasionally ribald, frequently witty and unerringly erudite guided tour of the secret labyrinth that lurks beneath the English language, taking in monks and monkeys, film buffs and buffaloes, and explaining precisely what the Rolling Stones have to do with gardening.

By:   Mark Forsyth
Imprint:   Icon Books
Country of Publication:   United Kingdom
Dimensions:   Height: 20mm,  Width: 198mm,  Spine: 129mm
Weight:   408g
ISBN:  

9781848313071

ISBN 10:   1848313071
Pages:   288
Publication Date:   January 2012
Audience:   General/trade ,  ELT Advanced
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Awaiting stock  
Our supplier is currently out of stock. You can order it and we will ship it to you upon arrival.

Mark Forsyth is a writer, journalist and blogger. Every job he's ever had, whether as a ghost-writer or proof-reader or copy-writer, has been to do with words. He started The Inky Fool blog in 2009 and now writes a post almost every day. The blog has received worldwide attention and enjoys an average of 4,000 hits per week.

The surprise Christmas bestseller, now a BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK, read by Hugh Dennis. 'This year's must-have stocking filler - the angel on the top of the tree, the satsuma in the sock, the threepenny bit in the plum pudding, the essential addition to the library in the smallest room is Mark Forsyth's The Etymologicon.' Ian Sansom, Guardian 'I'm hooked on Forsyth's book - Crikey, but this is addictive' Mathew Parris, The Times 'The Etymologicon contains fascinating facts' Daily Mail 'Kudos should go to Mark Forsyth, author of The Etymologicon - Clearly a man who knows his onions, Mr Forsyth must have worked 19 to the dozen, spotting red herrings and unravelling inkhorn terms, to bestow this boon - a work of the first water, to coin a phrase. Daily Telegraph, October 23 'From Nazis and film buffs to heckling and humble pie, the obscure origins of commonly-used words and phrases are explained.' Daily Telegraph 'One of the books of the year. It is too enjoyable for words,' Henry Coningsby, Bookseller, Waterstones Watford

'The stocking filler of the season' Robert McCrum, Observer 'I'm hooked on Forsyth's book - Crikey, but this is addictive' Matthew Parris, The Times 'The Etymologicon contains fascinating facts' Daily Mail 'Kudos should go to Mark Forsyth, author of The Etymologicon - Clearly a man who knows his onions, Mr Forsyth must have worked 19 to the dozen, spotting red herrings and unravelling inkhorn terms, to bestow this boon - a work of the first water, to coin a phrase. Daily Telegraph, October 23 'From Nazis and film buffs to heckling and humble pie, the obscure origins of commonly-used words and phrases are explained.' Daily Telegraph 'One of the books of the year. It is too enjoyable for words,' Henry Coningsby, Bookseller, Waterstones Watford

'I'm hooked on Forsyth's book - Crikey, but this is addictive' Mathew Parris, The Times 'The Etymologicon contains fascinating facts' Daily Mail 'Kudos should go to Mark Forsyth, author of The Etymologicon - Clearly a man who knows his onions, Mr Forsyth must have worked 19 to the dozen, spotting red herrings and unravelling inkhorn terms, to bestow this boon - a work of the first water, to coin a phrase. Daily Telegraph, October 23 'From Nazis and film buffs to heckling and humble pie, the obscure origins of commonly-used words and phrases are explained.' Daily Telegraph 'One of the books of the year. It is too enjoyable for words,' Henry Coningsby, Bookseller, Waterstones Watford

BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK, as read by Hugh Dennis - from 19th December 2011 'This year's must-have stocking filler - the angel on the top of the tree, the satsuma in the sock, the threepenny bit in the plum pudding, the essential addition to the library in the smallest room is Mark Forsyth's The Etymologicon.' Ian Sansom, Guardian 'I'm hooked on Forsyth's book - Crikey, but this is addictive' Mathew Parris, The Times 'The Etymologicon contains fascinating facts' Daily Mail 'Kudos should go to Mark Forsyth, author of The Etymologicon - Clearly a man who knows his onions, Mr Forsyth must have worked 19 to the dozen, spotting red herrings and unravelling inkhorn terms, to bestow this boon - a work of the first water, to coin a phrase. Daily Telegraph, October 23 'From Nazis and film buffs to heckling and humble pie, the obscure origins of commonly-used words and phrases are explained.' Daily Telegraph 'One of the books of the year. It is too enjoyable for words,' Henry Coningsby, Bookseller, Waterstones Watford