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Book details
  • Genre:LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES
  • SubGenre:Linguistics / Etymology
  • Language:English
  • Pages:260
  • Paperback ISBN:9781667897660

Sayings & Their Stories

Uncovering the Origins of 200 Common Phrases

by Campbell Jessop

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Overview


Description
From discovering why coffee is called a "cup of Joe" to the comical story of how "paint the town red" came to be, Sayings & Their Stories will take readers on a fascinating and entertaining journey through the history of common phrases we use every day and how they have changed over time. Through fun anecdotes, engaging stories, and surprising histories, Sayings & Their Stories helps readers deepen their understanding of the many colorful expressions we use to enhance the English language. Whether you are a language enthusiast or someone interested in learning the history behind our words, this book will surely take you the "whole nine yards." Some of the many things you will learn inside include: • How the phrase "Charley horse" derived from baseball • What ancient India and statues have to do with "buttering someone up" • Why we say "knock on wood" to avoid bad luck • The curious maritime story that coined the phrase "turn a blind eye"
About the author
Campbell Jessop, a recent graduate of the University of Tennessee, with a degree in business analytics and a minor in trumpet performance, is excited to share his first book with anyone interested in the quirks and mysteries of our language. Campbell has collected sayings since his freshman year of high school, adding any new ones he hears to his ever-growing list. In college, he put his passion to work by digging into the origins of these phrases in his dorm room. When he's not obsessively researching and collecting sayings, he's playing his trumpet in the community jazz band, carving figurines out of wood, or exploring obscure hobbies. For more information about Campbell and his upcoming projects, visit www.campbelljessop.com