The Painted Word: A Treasure Chest of Remarkable Words and Their Origins - Brossura

Cousineau, Phil

Brossura

ISBN 10: 1936740176 ISBN 13: 9781936740178

Casa editrice: Viva Editions, 2012

Riassunto

To untangle the knot of interlocking meanings of these painted words, logophile and mythologist Phil Cousineau begins each fascinating word entry with his own brief definition. He then fills it in with a tint of etymology and a smattering of quotes that show how the word is used, ending with a list of companion words. The words themselves range from commonplace likebiscuit, a twice-baked cake for Roman soldiers to loanwords including chaparral, from the Basque shepherds who came to the American West; words from myths, such ashector; metamorphosis words, like silly, which evolved holy togoofy in a mere thousand years; and words well worthy of revival, such as carrytale, a wandering storyteller. Whether old-fangled or brand new, all the words included inThe Painted Word possess an ineffable quality that makes them luminous.

Su questo libro

Recensione:

"Wordsmiths start young, scribbling in the margin of school notebooks scintillating, ruminate, Antofagasta. And later, define favorite words, gathering a personal, perhaps private collection: Robespierre, garrulous, existential. Phil Cousineau has it in spades. Beyond the sound, the lyrical or harshness, he pursues the etymology, the path taken to become part of the vocabulary we speak and read. And far from binding them selfishly to himself, he shares. "The Painted Word" follows the 30 books he has created already, a treasury, a compendium, each word with its derivation spelled out in a compact paragraph."
The Portland Book Review
"An invaluable tool for the conversationalist."
"Galway Advertiser"
"Reading this book, with its staggering vocabulary, requires an almost excessive amount of attention, but for an avid wordsmith it s worth the effort. Cousineau introduces quirky words (often about which a reader can t help but think, There s actually a word for that? ) as well as ordinary ones that have curious pasts. He delivers them all with the enthusiasm of an explorer on the verge of profound discovery, and a wicked sense of humor. "The Painted Word" is a selective dictionary unleashed and gone wild."
Portland Book Review
"But this isn t simply a collection of evocative and uncommon words; it s a testament to the vibrant, ever-evolving nature of language. The shift of usage, definition, and popularity for hundreds of words over the centuries provides fascinating insight into the culture of a given time period, especially what was interesting, important, and frivolous at the time. It s a time capsule and tribute all at once, hoping to fuel a fellow verbivore s linguistic delights or to spark a love of the language s highways, byways, and dirt roads. On all accounts, "The Painted Word" is a joyous success."
The San Francisco Book Review
"The English language has been far from pure, as speakers have taken languages from anything and everything they encounter. "The Painted Word: A Treasure Chest of Remarkable Words and Their Origins" explores the origins of many words we use, and their evolution throughout history. From compound words that become simply words, loan words, and how words lost all meaning to pick up another one entirely. "The Painted Word" is a worthy addition to any language studies reference collection, recommended."
Kristin L. Arola & Anne Frances Wysocki, eds, Utah State University Press
"Reading the pages of this beguiling paperback, we sense Cousineau's delight and enthusiasm for words and their ability to enchant and mesmerize. The set-up is sharing a special word, delivering a short essay on it, and then listing companion words that are close to it. Some of our favorite entries are ensorcell (to bewitch or enchant), fathom (to understand the depths), flabbergast (to astonish), flamboyant (theatrical), gloaming (twilight), plucky (courageous), and voluptuous (desirable). Pass "The Painted Word" on to your friends or family members who love books in the way Kenko does: "The pleasantest of all diversions is to sit alone under the lamp, a book spread out before you, and to make friends with people of a distant past you have never known."" --
Spirituality and Practice

L'autore:

Phil Cousineau is an award-winning writer and filmmaker, teacher and editor, independent scholar and travel leader, storyteller and TV host. His fascination with art, literature, and the history of culture has taken him from Michigan to Marrakesh, Iceland to the Amazon, in a worldwide search for what the ancients called the soul of the world.”

Cousineau lectures frequently on a wide spectrum of topics that reflect his mythic journeys, including mythology, movies, writing, mentorship, beauty, travel, sports and creativity. Currently the host of Link TV’s Global Spirit” television series, Cousineau has published 26 nonfiction books and has 15 scriptwriting credits to his name. His books have been translated into nine languages.

Born at an army hospital in Columbia, South Carolina, Phil Cousineau grew up just outside of Detroit, once known as "the Paris of the Midwest.” While moonlighting in a steel factory he studied journalism at the University of Detroit. Before turning to writing books and films full-time, Cousineau’s peripatetic career included stints as a sportswriter, playing semi-pro basketball in Europe, harvesting date trees on an Israeli kibbutz, painting 44 Victorian houses in San Francisco, and teaching screenwriting at the American Film Institute.

For the past 25 years he has enjoyed his life-long dream of being a full-time freelance writer, filmmaker and sports coach. An expert on mythology and film and the "hero journey" structure of screenplays, Cousineau consults on writing projects of all kinds.

Su questa edizione

• Editore: Viva Editions
• Data di pubblicazione: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1936740176
• ISBN 13: 9781936740178
• Rilegatura: Copertina flessibile
• Numero di pagine: 404