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An Analytic Dictionary of English Etymology An Introduction Anatoly Liberman |
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The first dictionary of its kind, drawn from four centuries of research in twenty-five languages. This work introduces renowned linguistics scholar Anatoly Liberman’s comprehensive dictionary and bibliography of the etymology of English words. The English etymological dictionaries published in the past claim to solve the mysteries of word origins even when those origins have been widely disputed. An Analytic Dictionary of English Etymology, by contrast, discusses all of the existing derivations of English words and proposes the best one. In this inaugural volume, Liberman addresses fifty-five words traditionally dismissed as being of unknown etymology. Some of the entries are among the most commonly used words in English, including man, boy, girl, bird, brain, understand, key, ever, and yet. Others are slang: mooch, nudge, pimp, filch, gawk, and skedaddle. Many, such as beacon, oat, hemlock, ivy, and toad, have existed for centuries, whereas some have appeared more recently—for example, slang, kitty-corner, and Jeep. They are all united by their etymological obscurity. This unique resource discusses the main problems in the methodology of etymological research and contains indexes of subjects, names, and all of the root words. Each entry is a full-fledged article, shedding light for the first time on the source of some of the most widely disputed word origins in the English language. “Anatoly Liberman is one of the leading scholars in the field of English etymology. Undoubtedly his work will be an indispensable tool for the ongoing revision of the etymological component of the entries in the Oxford English Dictionary.” —Bernhard Diensberg “Liberman’s attention to detail makes his 'Analytic Dictionary' a monumental achievement.” —Chicago Tribune “Scholarly, substantive and engaging. Word lovers will find the lengthy, involved articles on the number of particular familiar and few obscure words engaging. Most significantly for the field of etymology is his methodology; which is both rigorous and flexible in reaching probably attributions for word roots. With scientific method (as opposed to the frequent presumptions and conventions), literary (i.e., writing) and reasoning ability, and incomparable scholarship, Liberman charts new paths in the field of etymology.” —The Midwest Book Review “This reviewer got his quota of thrills abundantly filled by Liberman’s admirable and enduring product of what surely must have been many years of work. If this is truly An Introduction, we can all wait expectantly for the next selection from the author’s first-order scholarship.” —Scandinavian Studies “The end result is a luxurious example of wordplay and academic achievement sure to delight.” —The Bloomsbury Review “Liberman’s encyclopedic grasp of the subject matter, together with that of the relevant literature, shine through on every page. Moreover, Liberman’s wit and eloquent writing skills make this volume a delight to read. This is the kind of work I wish had been available to me when I was doing research on distant linguistic relationship, and not just for English! When completed, Liberman’s dictionary is destined to become the most authoritative resource on the origin of English words that has yet appeared in print. No doubt, it will retain that distinction for many, many years to come, if not indefinitely.” —Dictionaries “No other source compares to the depth that this book provides.” —Reference Reviews Anatoly Liberman is professor of Germanic philology at the University of Minnesota. He has published many works, including sixteen books, most recently Word Origins . . . and How We Know Them: Etymology for Everyone. 368 pages | 8 1/2 x 11 | 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Supplement: The Etymologies at a Glance II. The Purpose and Content of a New Dictionary of English Etymology III. Abbreviations of Linguistics Terms, Names of Languages, etc. IV. Dictionary Entries V. Bibliography VI. Index of Subjects VII. Index of Words VIII. Index of Personal and Place Names |
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$50.00 cloth/jacket