Book Nook provides readers with insights into the world of books. Vick Mickunas takes you into the center of the publishing world with the latest book buzz, book reviews, and exclusive chats with authors..Home > Blogs > Book Nook > Archives > 2008 > November > 09 > Entry
never at a loss for words…
“The Secret Life of Words — How English Became English” by Henry Hitchings (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 440 pages, $27)
Without words we wouldn’t have much to say. We would have even less to write about.
The English language is a magnificent thing. Have you ever wondered how it came to be and how it has changed over centuries? Henry Hitchings addresses these notions in a sweeping new study, “The Secret Life of Words — How English Became English.”
His previous book, “Defining the World,” was the story of the first notable English lexicographer, Samuel Johnson. This ambitious new work digs down to the roots of our language, exposing the forces that shaped it and made it what it is today.
English is ever changing. New words come into usage. Some last. Some drop by the wayside. “The Secret Life of Words” contains fascinating information on “the world’s most widespread language.”
Did you know that English has been greatly influenced by foreign invasions? In the year 789, the Vikings began a cycle of invasions that brought many new words to English shores. For example, “the Norse ‘vind-auga’ (‘eye of the wind’) became ‘window’.”
The later Norman invasion of Britain infiltrated numerous French words into English; as these languages melded, “the Norse word ‘law’ survived, but a new jargon engulfed every dimension of its practice and enforcement. Much of this endures: ‘jury, justice, plea, plaintiff, lease, larceny’ and ‘crime’ are all from the French.”
Readers derive a comprehension of the forces that have shaped English over the centuries. As Great Britain became the dominant global power, our language absorbed new words from exotic lands.
The word “shampoo” is derived from “the Hindi “champna,” a verb that conveys the idea of kneading and pressing the body to relieve fatigue and stimulate the circulation.” India has been a rich source for English words.
“Pyjamas’ is another import from India. In fact “pyjama” derived from the Persian words for “foot” and “garment,” and in its Indian context it was used only of loose-fitting trousers, rather than of the entire ensemble of bedwear.
Some word origins are amazing. New words enter our vocabularies daily. Have you ever wondered where the inventors of the drug “Viagra” got that name? Is it a mere coincidence that the Sanskrit word for “tiger” is “vyaghra”?
“The Secret Life of Words” is a linguistic goldmine. Did you know that the inventor Thomas Edison “seems to have initiated the habit of answering the phone with the exclamation ‘hello’ — once a ferryman’s call?”
Hitchings has a delightful section that delineates the differences between American English and English English. And he looks toward the future of our language, and the forces that shall continue to mold it. Most notably he writes that “today there are more Hispanics in the U.S. than in Spain, and their median age is well below 30. They promise to write important chapters in the histories of not just one language, but two.”
Hello, anybody up for SCRABBLE?
Permalink | Comments (5) | Post your comment | Categories: confessions of a galley slave
Comments
By vick
November 10, 2008 5:10 PM | Link to this
It merely goes to show that one person’s idea of “marvelous” is another person’s idea of utterly disgusting….By Mike
November 10, 2008 1:34 PM | Link to this
If there was ever evidence that racism and bigotry is alive and well in this country one only need to point to tripe like Tom Adkins’ nonsensical column, which he attempts to disguise as some kind of thoughtful commentary. His intellectually lame effort to paint Obama’s election as creating some weird racial paradox where all things discriminatory have been magically washed away by some miraculous healing wave of a single election is just a thinly veiled attempt to justify his own unashamed bigotry. I have no doubt his poorly disguised bigoted screed will sit well with the type of people who shouted “terrorist” at the mere mention of Obama’s name at Sarah Palin rallies. His column is nothing more than pure, unadulterated crap.By Mark from St Paul
November 10, 2008 11:23 AM | Link to this
And, given your earliest comment, let’s not forget some other great “borrowed” English words like putz (Yiddish), fascist (Italian), schadenfreude (German), and racist (Italian). Good sportsmanship, otoh, is from the Old English, and is used to describe those who win OR lose graciously.By Mike
November 10, 2008 9:30 AM | Link to this
Whaaaaaaat? Are you saying that our English language as we know it today wasn’t invented by a bunch of white guys in the “Real America” sitting around their kitchen table while drinking Pabst Blue Ribbon? Are you saying a bunch of our words were actually given to us by FOREIGNERS!! An all American word like pajama came from an A-rab? That’s it, no more pajamas in my house! Boycott shampoo! Out with them I say, just like those snobby “French Fries”. Wow, Vick! You sure are showing your elitist intellectual bonifieds by propagating such a wild and un-Amurrican shibboleth.By AuthorAuthor
November 10, 2008 8:17 AM | Link to this
Vick, Just read the following marvelous bit by Tom Adkins. Thought you might enjoy it: WHITE GUILT IS DEAD By Tom Adkins Look at my fellow conservatives! There they go, glumly shuffling along, depressed by the election aftermath. Not me. I’m virtually euphoric. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not thrilled with America ’s flirtation with neo socialism. But there’s a massive silver lining in those magical clouds that lofted Barak Obama to the Presidency. For today, without a shred of intellectually legitimate opposition, I can loudly proclaim to America : The Era of White Guilt is over. This seemingly impossible event occurred because the vast majority of white Americans didn’t give a fluff about skin color, and enthusiastically pulled the voting lever for a black man. Not just any black man. A very liberal black man who spent his early career race-hustling banks, praying in a racist church for 20 years, and actively worked with America-hating domestic terrorists. Wow! Some resume! Yet they made Barak Obama their leader. Therefore, as of Nov 4th, 2008, white guilt is dead. For over a century, the millstone of white guilt hung around our necks, retribution for slave-owning predecessors. In the 60s, American liberals began yanking that millstone while sticking a fork in the eye of black Americans, exacerbating the racial divide to extort a socialist solution. But if a black man can become President, exactly what significant barrier is left? The election of Barak Obama absolutely destroys the entire validation of liberal white guilt. The dragon is hereby slain. So today, I’m feeling a little “uppity,” if you will. From this day forward, my tolerance level for having my skin color hustled is now exactly ZERO. And it’s time to clean house. No more Reverend Wright’s “God Damn America ,” Al Sharpton’s Church of Perpetual Victimization , or Jesse Jackson’s rainbow racism. Cornell West? You’re a fraud. Go home. All those “black studies” programs that taught kids to hate whitey? You must now thank Whitey. And I want that on the final. Congressional Black Caucus? Irrelevant. Maxine Waters? Shut up. ACORN? Outlawed. Black Panthers? Go home and pet your kitty. Black separatists? Find another nation that offers better dreams. Go ahead. I’m waiting. Gangsta rappers? Start praising America . Begin with the Pledge of Allegiance. And please…no more ebonics. Speak English, and who knows where you might end up? Oh, yeah…pull up your pants. Your underwear is showing. You look stupid. To those Eurosnots who forged entire careers hating America ? I’m still waiting for the first black French President. And let me offer an equal opportunity whupping. I’ve always despised lazy white people. Now, I can talk smack about lazy black people. You’re poor because you quit school, did drugs, had three kids with three different fathers, and refuse to work. So when you plop your Colt 45-swilling, Oprah watchin’ butt on the couch and complain “Da Man is keepin’ me down,” allow me to inform you: Da Man is now black. You have no excuses. No more quotas. No more handouts. No more stealing my money because someone’s great-great-great-great grandparents suffered actual pain and misery at the hands of people I have no relation to, and personally revile. It’s time to toss that massive, obsolete race-hustle machine upon the heap of the other stupid 60s ideas. Drag it over there, by wife swapping, next to dope-smoking. Plenty of room right between free love and cop-killing. Careful…don’t trip on streaking. There ya go, don’t be gentle. Just dump it. Wash your hands. It’s filthy. In fact, Obama’s ascension created a gargantuan irony. How can you sell class envy and American unfairness when you and your black wife went to Ivy League schools, got high-paying jobs, became millionaires, bought a mansion, and got elected President? How unfair is that??? Now, Like a delicious O’Henry tale, Obama’s spread-the-wealth campaign rendered itself moot by it’s own victory! America is officially a meritocracy. Obama’s election has validated American conservatism! So, listen carefully…Wham!!! That’s the sound of my foot kicking the door shut on the era of white guilt. The rites have been muttered, the carcass lowered, dirt shoveled, and tombstone erected. White guilt is dead and buried. However, despite my glee, there’s apparently one small, rabid bastion of American racism remaining. Black Americans voted 96% for Barak Obama. Hmmm. In a color-blind world, shouldn’t that be 50-50? Tonight, every black person should ask forgiveness for their apparent racism and prejudice towards white people. Maybe it’s time to start spreading the guilt around.