This clever book collects together hundreds of the most intriguing, surprising and little known histories and etymologies of a whole host of English words. From ancient place names to unusual languages, and obscure professions to military slang. It is a fascinating treasure trove of linguistic facts.
Haggard Hawks and Paltry Poltroons The Origins of English in Ten Words Synopsis
What do the following ten words all have in common - haggard, mews, codger, arouse, musket, poltroon, gorge, allure, pounce and turn-tail? All fairly familiar and straightforward words, after a little digging into their histories it turns out that all of them derive from falconry: the adjective haggard described an adult falcon captured from the wild; mews were the enclosures hawks were kept in whilst moulting; codger is thought to come from 'cadger', the member of a hunting party who carried the birds' perches, and so on.
Paul Jones previously authored The British Isles: A Trivia Gazetteer, a book on the origins of British place names. He is a journalist, magazine publisher and is currently studying at the Royal School of Music.
