Susie Dent Boeken

There is a word for how you feel, however you feel and Susie Dent, lexicographer extraordinaire and Queen of Countdown's Dictionary Corner, is going to help you find it.

The perfect present for word-lovers: a word for every day of the year: 'WORD PERFECT is a golden vaulted cave of fascinating and funny hidden gems' JO BRAND

There is a word for how you feel, however you feel and Susie Dent, lexicographer extraordinaire and Queen of Countdown's Dictionary Corner, is going to help you find it.

Fanboys and Overdogs is a collection of some of the most intriguing facts and observations on the English language in recent years. In her eminently readable exploration of the changing face of English, Susie Dent takes the reader on a journey through the most exotic and dynamic areas of thelanguage. From histories of words to the word on the street, this completely new volume explores how language is changing, and gives a 'Word a Year' list for 1905 to 2005.The book covers new words, and the language of technology, politics, TV, and the media. Other topics covered include foreign words and phrases, word play, word histories, dialect, spelling, and current controversies of grammar and usage.A brand-new design brings the language to life on the page, and makes the book a pleasure to read. Fanboys and Overdogs is based on the ongoing research at Oxford Dictionaries, home of the Oxford English Dictionary and the largest language research program in the world. Oxford collects and analysesliterally hundreds of millions of words of real language and the findings are presented here, many of them for the first time.Compellingly informative and readable Fanboys and Overdogs has something for everyone interested in the English language.

Agatha Christie meets Countdown in the debut mystery novel from the genius of Dictionary Corner, Susie Dent

Would you be bewildered if someone described you as radgy? Do you know how to recognize a tittamatorter? And would you understand if someone called you a culchie? How to Talk Like a Local gathers together hundreds of words from all over the country and digs down to uncover their origins. From dardledumdue, which means daydreamer in East Anglia, through forkin robbins, the Yorkshire term for earwigs, to clemt, a Lancashire word that means hungry, it investigates an astonishingly rich variety of regional expressions, and provides a fascinating insight into the history of the English language. If you're intrigued by colorful words and phrases, if you're interested in how English is really spoken, or if you simply want to find out a bit more about the development of our language, How to Talk Like a Local is irresistible--and enlightening--reading.

Why do good things cut the mustard? Who was the real Real McCoy? And why are false sentiments called crocodile tears? In this engaging exploration of language, Susie Dent draws from her popular television segment to address these intriguing questions and more. With her characteristic charm and erudition, Dent delves into 101 captivating inquiries about the English language, covering word origins, spelling, grammar, and usage. She examines the ancient roots of "tragedy," which originally meant "goat song" in Greek, alongside modern terms like "donk" from the Blackout Crew's song. The book is filled with captivating stories, such as the origin of "bankrupt," derived from the Italian "banca rotta," meaning "broken bench." This term traces back to the sixteenth century when money lenders operated outdoors on benches, leading to the modern concept of a "bank." Additionally, Dent recounts the origin of "white elephant," referring to a burdensome possession, which dates back to ancient Siam. There, rare white elephants were given to kings but could not be used for labor or riding, often becoming unwanted gifts to disfavored courtiers. Sparkling with linguistic insight, this delightful compendium is a must-read for anyone captivated by the quirks of language.

"I enjoyed this so much. As a pessimistic lover of words, this was both comforting and heart-warming. I always think that learning about etymology is a way to appreciate the secret code of the world, and Susie is the perfect guide and companion and lexical cheerleader." - Stig Abel "Susie Dent's way with words always makes me happy. This is my kind of book. There's positivity on every page." - Gyles Brandreth Susie Dent, bestselling author, broadcaster and word expert, is on a mission to find light in the deepest, darkest corners of our language. It takes just a short browse through the dictionary to spot how it is filled with negative words. But Susie has searched far and wide to unearth happy and uplifting words and phrases that, in some cases, are long forgotten, while others have only just been discovered. Paired with beautiful illustrations, this is the perfect book to lift you out of your mubble fubbles (a slightly sad mood), make you grin like a gigglemug (someone who never stops smiling), and have you feeling forblissed (extremely happy) in no time. This joyous collection of 100 positive words and their origins will show readers young and old just how wonderful language can be - and how you can use your words to make the world a happier place.

A literary treasure-trove packed with amazing words, jaw-dropping stories and unforgettable etymologies from Countdown's Queen of Dictionary Corner, Susie Dent

Join Susie Dent, lexicographer extraordinaire and Queen of Countdown's Dictionary Corner, on a curious and exceedingly interesting adventure through all the very best RED HERRINGS, COCK AND BULL STORIES and NINE-DAY WONDERS in the English language. Who was SWEET FANNY ADAMS? What's the dramatic true story behind STEALING THUNDER? Why is it CHANCING YOUR ARM when you take a risk? What do bears have to do with LICKING INTO SHAPE? Or robbers with PULLING SOMEONE'S LEG? Why are CIRCLES VICIOUS? And, what's so bad about a WHITE ELEPHANT? 'Nobody on earth knows more about the English language than Susie Dent' Gyles Brandreth