At the Wording Desk

How Why And Whence Does A Word Gain Advent Into The English Vocabulary? That Question Has Hundreds Of Thousands Of Vivid Sometimes Funny Answers. In At The Wording Desk Author Bill Casselman One Of Canada'S Leading Etymologists Shares A Collection Of Some Of The More Colorful And Interesting Word Origins. With A Dose Of Lively Humor He Offers An Explanation Of A Plethora Of Words And Gives The Historical Latin And Greek Roots And Their Meaning As Spoken And Written Throughout History. In At The Wording Desk He: Explains That The Word Travel Comes From Trepalium A Roman Torture Device; Examines The Origin Of English Words Which End In The Pejorative Suffix -Ard Such As Coward Dullard Lubbard And Sluggard; Discuss How Canopy First Meant Mosquito Net; Defines The Meaning Of Wind-Rose Advection And A Host Of Other Interesting Words; And Tells Why Carpe Diem Does Not Mean Seize The Day. From Thaumaturgy To Clavis Xanthopterin And More Casselman Offers An Extensive Look At The History Of A Variety Of Rare Words.