The best introduction to word history ever published combines scholarship with readability. OED's chief etymologist shows how words originate and change. He explores the histories of place and personal names and explains how to use different kinds of evidence, historical as well…
This practical introduction to word history investigates every aspect of where words come from and how they change. Philip Durkin shows how different types of evidence can shed light on the myriad ways in which words change in form and meaning.
