Have you ever been in a situation where the cat got your tongue, or you let the green-eyed monster get the better of you? Have you ever tried to keep up with the Joneses or collapsed in stitches when you heard something hilarious? What is the common thread binding the words safari, orange and algebra? And did you know the word Bluetooth was coined long before the smartphone’s invention, or that a British nobleman, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, lent his name to a popular food item? From the Persian roots of ‘khaki’ to the Shakespearean sass behind ‘crocodile tears’, this book is your backstage pass to discovering the at once fascinating, strange and amusing histories of the popular words and phrases we use every day, though mostly without pausing to reflect on their etymology. Linguistic sleuth Sumanto Chattopadhyay peels back the layers of language and takes us on a rollicking ride to demystify the origins and meanings of common words and quirky idiomatic expressions that sometimes frustrate us—and get our goat—or sound Greek to us! Stories of Words and Phrases is the perfect read for word nerds, enthusiasts, or anyone who enjoys language trivia rooted in rich cultural history drawn from various parts of the world. It’s elementary, my dear Watson—this book will make you laugh, learn and unlock the wordsmith in you.

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