: Martin Manser
: Dictionary of Word and Phrase Origins
: BookBaby
: 9781543942644
: 1
: CHF 6.30
:
: Sonstiges
: English
: 200
: kein Kopierschutz
: PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet
: ePUB
Why do we describe something as 'A-1', 'a lame duck', or 'straight from the horse's mouth'? Why is someone's behaviour said to be 'beyond the pale'? What is the original meaning of the word 'treacle'? This book explores the intriguing origins and development of about 800 words and expressions in English. The story of the development of English provides an endless source of fascination not only for native speakers but also for students of English as a foreign or second language. I hope therefore that something of the rich heritage of the language will be discovered and enjoyed in these pages.

A

 

A-1

If something isA-1, it is in the best possible state. The term was originally an abbreviation in theRegister of Shipping of the insurance company Lloyd’s of London and was used to describe ships in first-class condition. As theRegister noted: ‘The character A denotes new ships, or ships renewed or restored. The stores of vessels are designated by the figures 1 and 2.’ SoA-1 meant that the hull was in excellent condition, as was all the ship’s equipment.

A-1 is combined withOK to giveA-OK. The term was first used by Colonel John A. (‘Shorty’) Powers, a public relations officer of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at the splashdown of the first US suborbital flight in 1961. Powers was reporting the words of the US astronaut Alan B. Shepard that everything was working perfectly.

 

aardvark

Anaardvark is an African mammal with a long snout that it uses to delve into termite mounds and eat their insect inhabitants:Aardvarks in the wild are usually only active at night. The word came into English from Afrikaans, the variety of Dutch spoken in South Africa, fromaard, meaning ‘earth’ andvark, meaning ‘pig’ (essentially ‘earth-pig’). Although the first Europeans to observe the creature must have thought it resembled a pig in some ways, it is in fact related not to the swine family but to the armadillos. Another name for it is theant-bear, which again shows the confusion it generated in the minds of strangers seeking for something familiar to compare it with.

 

aback (be taken aback)

Someone who istaken aback is very surprised or shocked, and has to stop for a moment. The expression comes from the language of sailing-ships. A ship was taken aback when a strong gust of wind suddenly blew the sails back against the mast, causing the ship to stop momentarily. Naturally the sailors were greatly surprised at the unexpected event – hence the modern meaning of the phrase.

 

abacus

In ancient Greece anabacus was a slab or tablet (Greekabax) covered with a thin layer of sand. Calculations were traced in the sand and could then be erased. Later, strings of pebbles (Latincalculus, pebble) were used for this purpose. Pebbles were moved backwards and forwards along grooves to make calculations. The wooden frame of beads on wires that we call an abacus probably originated in China more than 5000 years ago. See alsoCALCULATE.

 

abracadabra

The wordabracadabra is used by magicians when they are performing conjuring tricks. The word goes back to the Greek<