Port out starboard home and other language myths books

A popular story derives the word as an acronym from port out, starboard home, referring to nineteenth century firstclass cabins on ocean liners, which were shaded from the sun on outbound voyages east e. A backronym, or bacronym, is a constructed phrase that purports to be the source of a word that is an acronym. Port out, starboard home and other language myths, london. This playfully witty yet rigorously researched book shoots down myth after myth. The rapid growth of the internet and the use of email has increased the circulation of usually false tales about the evolution of language. Backronyms may be invented with either serious or humorous intent, or they may be a type of false etymology or folk etymology the word is a blend of back and acronym. It is grist to the mill of those who study the language, but also a rich pasture for the idle browser. Does the word honeymoon really derive from an old persian custom of giving the happy couple mead, a honey wine, for the first month after the wedding. And other language myths, published by penguin books in july 2004. In this entertaining and fascinating new book on the origins of words and. Port out, starboard home how is port out, starboard home. The actual subtitle of the book is and other language myths.

Port out, starboard home and other language myths, penguin london, england, 2004. In the usa it is published by the smithsonian institution press under the title ballyhoo, buckaroo, and spuds. Nov 06, 2008 word myths corrects longheld and farflung examples of wrong etymologies, without taking the fun out of etymology itself. Online used books and out of print books finder book search engine can find port out, starboard home and other language myths by quinion, michael about trust online. Pdf language myths download full pdf book download. Bloomsbury dictionary of word origins by john ayto.

The oxford illustrated history of roman britain by peter salway. In this new book on the origins of words and expressions, michael quinion retells the mythic tales that have become popular currency the word posh deriving from port out, starboard home and also tries to find and explain the true stories behind the origins of phrases. Port out, starboard home, posh with a capital posh, posh there is no evidence to confirm this story though and it appears to have been dreamed up retrospectively to match an existing meaning. Nov 01, 2005 in port out, starboard home and other language myths, quinion reveals the true origins of some wellknown words and phrases, as well as the notsoobvious associations between one common word and another for example, barbecue and buccaneer. And other language myths has 1 available editions to buy at half price books. Port out, starboard home by michael quinion goodreads. Whoever thought it up must have been quite pleased with it, and it appeals to. Quinion tracks the trail wherever it may lead, and we are happy to follow along. Ingenious tales of words and their origins originally published in the uk as. Ingenious tales of words and their origins n 1 his most recent book is gallimaufry. Apr 15, 2010 the tale about port out, starboard home also didnt surface until 1935, two decades after the earliest appearance of posh in the luxurious or swank sense was noted in 1914. Or that posh is an acronym for port out, starboard home.

For more on the realm of etymythology, i recommend two books. Buy the book at amazon us michael quinion, port out, starboard home and other language myths, london. Then when some tipsy bore declares that posh derives from port out, starboard home. Debunking linguistic urban legends ebook written by david wilton. In word myths, david wilton debunks some of the most spectacularly wrong word histories in common usage, giving us the real stories behind many linguistic urban legends. He has since written ologies and isms 1 a 2002 dictionary of affixes and port out, starboard home. Doesnt the word posh come from port out, starboard home.

Port out, starboard home is a miniencyclopedia about various english words and phrases the fancy term for this is called etymology. Port out, starboard home false word histories explained mantex. Debunking linguistic urban legends and michael quinions ballyhoo, buckaroo, and spuds. Port out starboard home is a book by michael quinion about some of the. Anyone with a genuine interest in the english language will want to own a copy of this book. Following ologies and isms, his next book, port out, starboard home. The word crap has nothing to do with thomas crapper. Quinion has contributed extensively to the oxford english dictionary as well as the oxford dictionary of new words second edition, 1996. Our daytoday chitchat is the dogs avocados times higher. And other language myths is published outside the usa by penguin books. It is also referred to as lets call a spade a spade, not a gardening tool which refers to calling something as it is, that is, by its right or proper name, without beating about the bushbeing outspoken about it, truthfully, frankly, and directly, even to the point of being blunt or rude, and even if the subject is considered coarse. The fascinating stories we tell about the words we use ebook. And other language myths has 1 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace. Millions of books outofprint, rare and collectable find yours now.

Port out, starboard home and other language myths by quinion. Its arranged in alphabetical order, and there are crossreferences for related words. The tale about port out, starboard home also didnt surface until 1935, two decades after the earliest appearance of posh in the luxurious or swank sense was noted in 1914. Michael quinion wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. Michael quinion, port out, starboard home and other language myths, london. Feb 14, 2008 i relate this anecdote because a few years ago, having received a copy of michael quinions port out, starboard home and other language myths, my inner child rose again like a particularly. Word myths corrects longheld and farflung examples of wrong etymologies, without taking the fun out of etymology itself. We do not know the precise origin of the adjective posh, meaning elegant, fashionable, but nearly everyone else seems to. It is certainly true that many mondegreens are mishearings of songs, particularly pop songs, whose lyrics are not always clearly enunciated by their performers and may in any case be drowned out by the backing music. Origins of the specious grammarphobia grammarphobia. Incidentally, stephen pinker, in the language instinct, mistakenly attributed the invention of the word mondegreen to jon carroll. Author michael quinion publisher penguin pages 282 price. Former editor, oxford dictionary of new words, 2nd edition. There are many things wrong with the port out, starboard home yarn.

And other language myths, was published in the uk by penguin books in 2004, was serialised in the daily telegraph and reached the british bestseller lists. Quinion, though, would appear to relish bogus derivations rather than be irritated. A really interesting book especially if youre intersted in language. In word myths, david wilton debunks some of the most spectacularly wrong word histories in common usage, giving us. What is the true origin of the phrase one fell swoop. Sep 10, 2005 port out, starboard home by michael quinion penguin. I relate this anecdote because a few years ago, having received a copy of michael quinions port out, starboard home and other language myths, my. In this entertaining and fascinating new book on the origins of words and expressions, michael quinion retells the mythic tales that have become popular currency the word posh deriving from port out, starboard home and also tries to find and explain the true stories behind the origins of phrases. There are other theories to account for posh, one of which has been accepted by a few dictionaries. He has since written ologies and isms a 2002 dictionary of affixes and port out, starboard home.

Every year we get dozens of letters informing us that posh comes from the first letters of the phrase port out, starboard home, which designated the most. This is from middle english ladebord and the term lade is related to the modern load. In port out, starboard home and other language myths, quinion reveals the true origins of some wellknown words and phrases, as well as the notsoobvious associations between one common word and another for example, barbecue and buccaneer. And other language myths 2004, published in the us as ballyhoo, buckaroo, and spuds. Thus, the word became part of the language to mean better. Ingenious tales of words and their origins originally published in the uk as port out, starboard home. Does the word honeymoon really derive from an old persian custom of giving the happy couple mead, a. Etymology, language, language myths, port out starboard home, reference. An acronym is a word derived from the initial letters of the words of a phrase. Whoever thought it up must have been quite pleased with it, and it appeals to enough people to get repeated endlessly. Port out, starboard home by michael quinion books the. Ingenious tales of words and their origins, smithsonian books washington, dc, 2004, published as posh. Larboard sounds similar to starboard and in 1844 the royal navy ordered that port be used instead.

Ask almost anyone who has not read this book where the term posh comes from, and they will probably tell you that it is an acronym of port out. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read word myths. To ask other readers questions about port out, starboard home, please sign up. They explain how brits and yanks wound up speaking the same language so.