Charles Earle FunkBesprekingen

Many of the 400 expressions discussed in this book are no longer in use - or the meanings have changed completely. As a study in how language changes, it's semi-interesting. However, I wasn't impressed with many of the "explanations" - so many of them were just the author's random assumptions. ("Perhaps a schoolboy in x situation felt x and blah blah blah.")

There are some repetitive bits, as well, especially when the author was detailing physical abuse to cats. :(

NA

Curious is an understatement. What about delightful? Great book.

Etymology as an art form.

Quite interesting and informative.

A fascinating trip down the history of our language's vocabulary and witticisms.

A fascinating trip down the history of our language's vocabulary and witticisms.

Tells the origins and meanings of many many sayings- over four hundred of them. It's a nice read especially if you are interested in etymology. The forward describes in detail how the author sought out the original meaning of the phrase "as independent as a hog on ice"; the rest of the entries simply outline what the final findings were. Most of the expressions I had heard before, a few were entirely unfamiliar to me. Some I had an idea where they came from, others it was the opposite of what I would have assumed. Lots are from political moments in history, old arcane practices, or mispronunciations of former word forms (many of the expressions are centuries old). In some cases the author found no evidence at all, so he surmised a best guess.

from the Dogear Diary

I recall this being a very fun little compendium.

A somewhat interesting book. Most of the sayings in it are archaic now, and I'm not sure the author has all his facts right, but there is enough interesting to at least skim through it.

This is a good, fairly extensive, dictionary that adequately serves for pedestrian use. As a reference that is hald a century old, it can not be expected to have much in the way of modern, current usage - say anything dealing with computers, I-Pod, internet, etc. Slang, jargon, trendy catch phrases are not going to be found here.

A fascinating trip down the history of our language's vocabulary and witticisms.

A fascinating trip down the history of our language's vocabulary and witticisms.

"A Hog On Ice simultaneously tickles and informs it's reader. Writing as the vaudevillian used to play the fiddle, for his own amazement, Dr.Funk has set down with humor and scholarship the best and most plausible explanations he could pry out of past records and living persons." - S.C. Gross, N.Y. Times

I wanted to find the explanation for the phrase "sick as a dog", but no such luck.

Book Description: Harper & Row New York (1985). Soft cover Near Fine,