Charles Earle Funk fue un lexicógrafo estadounidense reconocido por sus diccionarios etimológicos. Su obra profundizó en los cautivadores orígenes de palabras y frases, revelando las historias ocultas y los contextos históricos incrustados en el lenguaje. Sus libros sirven como exploraciones atractivas del vocabulario, ofreciendo perspectivas sobre las raíces culturales y sociales de las expresiones que utilizamos. A través de su profundo interés en los orígenes de las palabras, Funk se estableció como una autoridad en etimología, dejando un valioso legado para los entusiastas del idioma.
This antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of an original work, preserving its historical significance despite potential imperfections like marks and notations. It aims to protect and promote cultural literature by providing modern editions that remain faithful to the original text, ensuring accessibility and quality for readers.
Why do people "take 40 winks" and not 50...or 60, or 70? Did someone literally "let the cat out of the bag" at one point in time? Has anyone actually "gone on a wild goose chase"? Find out the answers to these questions and many more in this enormous collection, comprised of four bestselling A Hog on Ice, Thereby Hangs a Tale, Heavens to Betsy! and Horsefeathers and Other Curious Words. Dr. Funk, editor-in-chief of the Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary Series, reveals the sometimes surprising, often amusing, and always fascinating roots of more than 2,000 vernacular words and expressions. From "kangaroo court" to "one-horse town", from "face the music" to "hocus-pocus," it's an entertaining linguistic journey.