Book description
Long-time word-detective and bestselling author of Port Out, Starboard
Home, Michael Quinion brings us the answers to nearly two hundred of the
most intriguing questions he s been asked about language over the years.
Sent to him by enquiring readers from all around the globe, Michael s
answers about the meanings and histories behind the quirky phrases,
slang and language that we all use are set to delight, amuse and
enlighten even the most hardened word-obsessive. Did you know that
Blighty comes from an ancient Arabic word? Or that Liberace cried his
way to the bank so many times people think he came up with the phrase?
That cloud nine started out as cloud seven in the speakeasies of
30s America? And that the first person to have their thunder stolen was
a dismal playwright from Drury Lane? Michael Quinion s Why is Q Always
Followed By U? is full of surprising discoveries, entertaining
quotations and memorable information. There are plenty of colourful
stories out there, but Michael Quinion will help you discover the truth
that lies behind the cock-and-bull stories and make sure you re always
linguistically on the ball. Michael Quinion, author of the bestselling
Port Out, Starboard Home, has always been fascinated by language. His
lexophilia really began in earnest in 1991, when, realising so many new
words were missing from the Oxford English Dictionary, he started
sending examples of them to the editors. He eventually became an
official freelance reader and in the past sixteen years, he has sent in
over 160,000 citations. Not satisfied with merely helping the OED,
Michael Quinion set up his own language website in 1997, worldwidewords.
org. The site has become a huge success as people all over the world ask
Michael to tease out the truth behind the quirks of our language.
