Wonderful Words That Tell a Tale: An etymological exploration of over 100 everyday words
From famous wordsmith Tom Read Wilson comes another breathtaking adventure through the English language. Discover the fascinating origin stories behind the words we use in this delightful follow-up to Every Word Tells a Story.
Did you know, for example, that:
- The word 'astronaut' means 'star sailor' in Ancient Greek?
- Or that the word 'fart' comes from the world's oldest language, Sanskrit, in the form of 'pard'?
- Or, that the word 'volcano' comes from the Roman god of fire Vulcan?
Unlock a whole new side to language in this abundant literary adventure. The etymological route, definition and word origin are explored for four words from every letter of the alphabet, unlocking over 100 wonderful word tales. One word per letter is brought to even more life with an extended poem that can be read or enjoyed aloud, making this a wonderful book to read alone or share with friends and family.
Every word is paired with timeless, characterful watercolour illustrations by Ian Morris. Wonderful Words to Tell a Tale is a journey into the English language through beautiful stories and artwork, a venture to be dipped into and enjoyed over and over again.