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The Origins of English Words
- A Discursive Dictionary of Indo-European Roots
- Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross
- Length: 36 hrs and 35 mins
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Publisher's summary
There are no direct records of the original Indo-European speech. By comparing the vocabularies of its various descendants, however, it is possible to reconstruct the basic Indo-European roots with considerable confidence. In The Origins of English Words, Shipley catalogues these proposed roots and follows the often devious, always fascinating, process by which some of their offshoots have grown.
Anecdotal, eclectic, and always enthusiastic, The Origins of English Words is a diverting expedition beyond linguistics into literature, history, folklore, anthropology, philosophy, and science.
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- By: Brené Brown
- Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
- Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Based on seven years of ground-breaking research and hundreds of interviews, I Thought It Was Just Me shines a long-overdue light on an important truth: Our imperfections are what connect us to each other and to our humanity. Our vulnerabilities are not weaknesses; they are powerful reminders to keep our hearts and minds open to the reality that we're all in this together.
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I'm sure its great if you are a mother ....
- By Leslie A Hill on 08-09-11
By: Brené Brown
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Fingerprints of the Gods
- The Quest Continues
- By: Graham Hancock
- Narrated by: Graham Hancock
- Length: 18 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Fingerprints of the Gods is the revolutionary rewrite of history that has persuaded millions of listeners throughout the world to change their preconceptions about the history behind modern society. An intellectual detective story, this unique history audiobook directs probing questions at orthodox history, presenting disturbing new evidence that historians have tried - but failed - to explain.
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Classic in Historical Mysteries
- By Kelly on 09-05-19
By: Graham Hancock
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I’ve played this book approximately 500 times…
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What listeners say about The Origins of English Words
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Ed Pegg Jr
- 11-04-23
The best "Read the Dictionary" on Audible
This is a book published in 1984 by the then 90-year-old author. The English professor died in 1988 and thus missed the 1989 publication of the second edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, OED2.
Quagmire, quacksalver, Quakers, Quaker-gun. Frequently within the book will be a series of related words, and then details about the origins about the words, some related stories, and their use in literature. The OED was heavily referenced while putting together this book. Vivify, viable, viper from their trait of birthing their offspring alive, revive, vitality, victuals.
Amazingly, it comes off as lively, with a factoid you likely haven't heard before every minute. The narrator does a great job of it. However, there are occasional places where the asides are cryptic. "Ad infinitum, as heard with the fleas..." The author is referencing a Jonathan Swift poem.
So, Nat'ralists observe, a Flea
Hath smaller Fleas that on him prey,
And these have smaller yet to bite 'em,
And so proceed ad infinitum:
But most references are giving fully. Likely, this book has a larger vocabulary than anything else on Audible.
Recommended.
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- Koko B.
- 07-08-24
Soooooo boring
This book was so boring that I could only listened to it a little over 2 hours. I couldn't fathom listening to it for 36 hours. I love anything to do with etymology but this book was..... well, it was outdated (since it was published a while ago, I'll let that slide) and written in the most boring manner. The narrater's performance didn't help either. I wish I could return it for a refund! I wasted my 1 credit for it. I guess I could use it as my "sleep aid."
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