John Ayto Books

In Twentieth Century Words, lexicographer John Ayto takes us on an exhilarating tour of our century, charting it decade by decade by way of the words we've coined to mark our passage through time. Ayto looks at some 5,000 words and meanings, from "flapper" to "flower power" to "road rage." We learn the birth dates of words such as "movie" (1910s), "barbecue" (1930s), Beatlemania (1960s), and "foodie" (1980s). Ayto also treats us to many surprises as well. Did you know, for instance, that "atomic energy" was coined in the 1900s, "rocket ship" in the 1920s, "hologram" in the '40s, and "modem" in the '50s? And in addition to the main alphabetic sequence of entries, the book also offers boxed features on topics of special interest, such as words arising from World War II ("bazooka," "jeep," "bikini"). With a thoughtful essay to introduce each decade, and thousands of evocative words and phrases, Twentieth Century Words will enthrall all word lovers as it opens a unique window on the last one hundred years.

Celebrating the 125th anniversary of its original publication, this expanded and updated edition of a classic reference features a new, simplified organization.

The average English speaker knows about 50,000 words, a figure that belies the smaller number of roots from Latin, French, and Germanic languages. Each year, around 800 new words enter the English lexicon, including acronyms like 'yuppie' and blended terms such as 'motel'. This dictionary offers a concise history of over 8,000 commonly used words, revealing fascinating etymological connections. For example, the word 'vice' has multiple meanings and is derived from two Latin roots: 'vitium' (defect) and 'vitis' (vine), which also leads to 'viticulture'. The dictionary uncovers surprising origins, such as 'bishop', which comes from the Greek 'episkopos' (overseer) and is related to 'spy'. In etymological terms, a 'dairy' should refer to a female kneader of bread. Organized in an A-Z format with detailed cross-references, this authoritative yet accessible guide sheds light on the diverse influences that have shaped the English language, showcasing the intricate and often unexpected relationships between words.

All your questions answered on spelling, grammar, and usage When is it correct to use me instead of I? Should its have an apostrophe? Should you use affect or effect? Looking for help? Good English! tells you how to get it right. - confused and misused words - spelling - usage - pronunciation - grammar - punctuation - British and American English

The volume takes a fresh look at the idiomatic phrases and sayings that make English the rich and intriguing language that it is. This major new edition contains entries for over 6000 idioms, including 700 entirely new entries, based on Oxford's language monitoring and the ongoing third edition ofthe Oxford English Dictionary

This book systematically records, verifies and interprets over 1200 new English words and meanings which appeared worldwide, predominently in 1987 and 1988. The entry records the word, gives a definition, cites the press quotation to verify the occurance and interprets the origin of the word.

A lively, authoritative, and up-to-date look at the world of rhyming slang, from its origins in London's 19th-century underworld to the buzzwords of 21st-century popney. Arranged by topic, including Crime, Food and Drink, Illness, Money, Sex, and Sport, this highly readable collection is at once an informative source to the story behind some of our most lively expressions and a browser's delight.

The ideal reference for those interested in the more quirky and unofficial words used in English. Each area of life and each aspect of the world that generates slang is explored in turn. Including surprisingly old words such as booze and guzzle as well as the most up-to-date words like humongous and lunchbox, this fascinating book is sure to provide a stonking good read for all.

The average English speaker knows 50,000 words in contemporary use - 25 more words than there are stars in the night sky visible to the naked eye. Yet stripped down to its origins, this apparently huge vocabulary is in reality a much smaller number of words from Latin, French and the Germanic languages. It is estimated that every year, 800 neologisms are added to the English language: acronyms - 'yuppie', blended words - 'motel', and those taken from foreign languages - 'savoir-faire'. The Bloomsbury Dictionary of Word Origins provides a concise history of over 8,000 of the most commonly used words. The range of information spans from derivations as simple as 'a' and 'one' from 'an', to historical relations between words which would be obscure to all but the most lexically-minded. For instance 'vice' with its several uses in English - a wickedness, a holding tool - is derived via Old French from two separate Latin words: 'vitium' (defect, offence), and 'vitis' (vine) which gave 'viticulture'. The Bloomsbury Dictionary of Word Origins demonstrates how the diverse influences on English have given rise to some unlikely but fascinating lexical relations. 'Bishop' had no ecclesiastical

Euphemism is the art of avoiding giving offence. It is possible to minimize the obvious by calling someone cuddly or junoesque when they are actually fat; to disguise the actual truth, extermination becomes the less unpleasant ethnic-cleansing; and large-scale redundancies become restructuring.

This dictionary defines a myriad of phrases and sayings that are used daily in the English language. It contains more than 10,000 idioms, including figurative expressions, similes, sayings, and proverbs, and features usage examples and information on origins for many of them.

The Oxford Dictionary of English Idioms offers a fresh look at the idiomatic phrases and sayings that make English the rich language that it is. The third edition contains entries for over 6,000 idioms, including 700 entirely new entries, based on Oxford's language monitoring programs and thethird edition of the Oxford English Dictionary . These include a range of idioms such as "the elephant in the corner," "go figure," "step up to the plate," "a walk in the park," and "win ugly." Many entries include more detailed background on the idiom in question. For example, did you know that'taken aback' was adopted from nautical terminology that described a ship unable to move forward because of a strong headwind pressing its sails back against the mast?The book lists national variants, so we learn that while in America they say "all over the map," in Britain they say "all over the shop." This edition also features a greatly increased number of cross-references, making it ideal for quick reference. Anyone interested in the colorful side of theEnglish language will have hours of fun browsing this fascinating and informative volume.

From ambulance chaser to zoot suit, this is the most authoritative and up-to-date dictionary of twentieth century slang. Drawing on the resources of the Oxford English Dictionary, and packed with illustrative quotations, ranging from John Lennon to Woody Allen, it is a comprehensive andentertaining collection of over 5,000 slang words and phrases.

An alphabetically arranged reference tool to answer questions about confused and misused words, spelling, usage, pronunciation, grammar, puncuation and British and American English