The secret lives of words

"Here's the book that satisfies your curiosity, charms you with its oddities, and, above all, shows how precious and complex words are. These foot soldiers of language are usually classified and fossilized by grammarians and writers of dictionaries. With his "Antiques Road Show" approach, Paul West puts a special shine on his favorite words as he tracks their wonderful history through the centuries and across the continents."--BOOK JACKET.