The real McCoy : the true stories behind our everyday phrases
Author(s)
Bibliographic Information
The real McCoy : the true stories behind our everyday phrases
Oxford University Press, c2005
Available at 4 libraries
  Aomori
  Iwate
  Miyagi
  Akita
  Yamagata
  Fukushima
  Ibaraki
  Tochigi
  Gunma
  Saitama
  Chiba
  Tokyo
  Kanagawa
  Niigata
  Toyama
  Ishikawa
  Fukui
  Yamanashi
  Nagano
  Gifu
  Shizuoka
  Aichi
  Mie
  Shiga
  Kyoto
  Osaka
  Hyogo
  Nara
  Wakayama
  Tottori
  Shimane
  Okayama
  Hiroshima
  Yamaguchi
  Tokushima
  Kagawa
  Ehime
  Kochi
  Fukuoka
  Saga
  Nagasaki
  Kumamoto
  Oita
  Miyazaki
  Kagoshima
  Okinawa
  Korea
  China
  Thailand
  United Kingdom
  Germany
  Switzerland
  France
  Belgium
  Netherlands
  Sweden
  Norway
  United States of America
Note
Includes index
Description and Table of Contents
Description
English is incredibly rich in colourful phrases and expressions. But, why do we say 'mad as a hatter', 'know your onions', and 'put on the Ritz'? This entertaining book elucidates the question of why we say the things we say. Indeed, many of the expressions we use in daily conversation have interesting and unexpected origins. Well into the 19th century 'hatters' - people employed making hats - were literally sent mad by the mercury used in the production process, hence the Mad Hatter in "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland", and hence the phrase we still use today. From 'black sheep' to 'chancing your arm', "The Real McCoy" gives the fascinating stories behind hundreds of the most interesting idioms in English. Each phrase has been thoroughly researched to uncover its origins and the way it has been used in the past. The book is written in a friendly and approachable style, and includes additional information in ten double-page panels focusing on idioms linked by a common theme, such as phrases coined by Shakespeare, nautical phrases, or phrases with a Biblical origin.
The book contains specially commissioned cartoons to illustrate the idioms, and, coupled with the fresh, contemporary design, they make this book a delight to browse. "The Real McCoy" is the perfect gift for everyone interested in the quirky side of the English language.
by "Nielsen BookData"