Chloe RhodesRezensionen

I was drawn to the cover of this book, and the book itself is quite nice, plus I was interested to learn more about ridiculous superstitions that people have believed or still believe.

Reading this, however, it was very hard for me as it wasn't nearly as interesting as I was expecting. While there were a few interesting facts and I did learn quite a few things, I found myself growing tired as I read through it. While it's nice to learn the origins of some widely spread superstitions, some of which I didn't even realize were superstitions, you quickly start to realize how... stupid, for lack of a better word, they really are.

Most of these superstitions have religious backgrounds and origins, which is something I tend to avoid. It started to make sense to me, though - only religious folk would be crazy enough to believe in some of this stuff. I don't want to be mean, but it honestly felt like an 80-year-old history professor was slowly droning through a lesson until the whole class was ready to jump out the window.

I found myself having to force myself to keep reading or to go back to this book after a break. It was hard for me to get through and was quite boring. I had to re-read the same paragraph over several times because my brain just wasn't having it.

This book could definitely have used some pronunciation helps along with the foreign words. Many of these phrases I've read in books but I've never heard pronounced. Now that I know what they mean, I still can't use them in conversation because I still don't know how to pronounce them!

It was a quick read. Each foreign phrase or word was accompanied by a paragraph detailing the first use in English, the foreign meaning, the English meaning, and how it is used in English today. That wasn't bad. It was followed by a use in a humorous sentence (although one sentence misspelled the word and another sentence didn't even use the word - that was funny!)and sometimes a (not very funny) cartoon.

I learned we get the word Robot from a Czech word.

At some point I realized this book was British. Some things about modern usage seemed a bit off. When I got to a description of the word Kabob now being a common bar food I thought "What? No! Hot wings! It's beer and hot wings! I've never had a kabob in my life. (Well, not entirely true as I think I had a kabob at a Middle Eastern restaurant in the late 90's.) Then I looked at the front and it all made sense - yes, the modern English usage is British usage.

Fun to glance through but not especially recommended.

This book is a fun and easy read and would appeal to anyone who has an interest/curiosity about the origins of the words that we use in our everyday language. There are some surprises contained within its pages and then there are ones that make perfect sense. It also manages to highlight just how much we take for granted in our language usage. I really enjoyed reading this book and am likely to go back to it many times in my life. You can easily pick this book up and read wherever you want in it - it doesn’t need to be read from cover to cover if you don’t want to.

‘’No matter how certainly we know that the spirits of the damned aren’t lurking under ladders hoping that we might sneeze at just the right moment for them to take possession of our bodies, something makes us change our path and look around for someone to say ‘’Bless you’’.

*Ignore the horrible syntax and punctuation of the quote above. This is the least of the problems of this book…*

I’ve always found the superstitions around the world such a fascinating subject. Learning about customs and traditions related to the beliefs, fears, and expectations of (mainly) the people of the past helps us understand some of the things that make us such complex, unique (and difficult) creatures. Is it not telling that no matter how educated we may be, no matter whether we follow a particular religious belief or not, no matter how open-minded we may believe ourselves to be, there are always precautionary rituals observed by most of us. And when I say ‘’most’’, I mean all of us. Anyone who says differently is a liar. Now, this books contains entries on superstitions derived mainly from the Anglo-Saxon tradition but we find a number of world traditions as well. Unfortunately, the writer’s attitude destroyed what could have been an excellent concept.

My mother still has the habit of picking up pennies (which just drives me mad but don’t mind me…). She keeps them inside a special piggy bank and never spends them. My grandma used to find pins everywhere and they used to be her first method of finding a lost item, following a rather obscure (to my knowledge) Mediterranean custom. However, you know what? It worked somehow. Every single time. I’ve seen it happen so I have come to believe- to a certain extent- that there are certain ‘’superstitions’’ that can miraculously work. Beliefs about life, birth, death, love, hate. The moon, the sea, the clocks that stop ticking, the owls and the ravens, every aspect of our lives is related to actions and their consequences. Why shouldn’t nature have its own mind on certain things? Whether these are superstitions or not is for each one of us to decide.

And now, the problems I faced with this book. Well, where to begin? First of all, repetition. This has already been mentioned in the majority of the reviews on Goodreads. Superstitions that could have been merged into one, become five or six different entries. As a result, the writer repeats sentences and observations over and over again, to the point where I felt our intelligence was being insulted. Seriously. Another problem is that she projects her own assumptions as common knowledge or common behaviour. Other times, the supposed information she provides is actually common knowledge. I mean, make up your mind…

I think that the writer’s tone was unnecessarily critical towards the superstitions (or what I prefer to call ‘’traditions’’) derived from religious or folk beliefs. Not practicing them is absolutely fine. I don’t practice or even believe in most of them. However, irony and ill-will criticism irritate me to the high heavens, I’m sorry to say. You want to call yourself a writer? By all means, do. Respect your subject and don’t be condescending because, in the end, you disrespect yourself. In my opinion, every belief should be researched within the context of the era and viewed critically or not but respect is crucial. Trying to appear smart or ‘’progressive’’ as a writer doesn’t interest me as a reader. And a little more respect towards the importance of Ancient Greece, Rome and Egypt wouldn’t hurt. I think the writer should take some lessons on respect towards world cultures, beliefs, and religions. In fact, she should take a few lessons on History, in general.

This brings me to the major problem of the book that is already mentioned in two fine reviews on Goodreads. The amount of historical inaccuracies is unbelievable. I mean, dear friends, it is worse than any period drama produced in Hollywood. It would take us pages upon pages to name them all. These are just a tiny part of the most characteristic mistakes the writer and the editor didn’t bother to verify and correct. Who cares about accuracy, right?

1.Everyone and their loving great-grandmother know that Odin’s ravens were called Huginn and Muninn. Rhodes decided to christen them again and Muninn became ‘’Midgard’’. Thankfully, Huginn survived the attack.

2. Women were burned in England during the 1600s under the pretext of Witchcraft. The burning of women condemned for treason continued for many years. There was even a solitary case when a woman was burnt in the early 18th century for committing adultery. Do your research, dear writer! Even a simple Google search is enough…

3. The word ‘’Yule’’ does NOT come from the Old English word ġéol. It is merely a modern English representation of the word that is supposedly derived from the Old Germanic (Gothic to be exact) word jiuleis or the Nordic versions jól and jul, depending on the region. How could a custom of the Germanic people have an Old English name? Even Vikings are more historically accurate.

4. Certain customs attributed to the Russians are actually derived from Balkan traditions, mainly practiced in Serbia and Bulgaria.

5. The belief of not wearing new clothes to a funeral is in all probability Georgian/Victorian (depending on the sources) and not African- American.

I could go on for ages but I need to retain what little is left of my sanity…

So, this is rather problematic. A shame, in my opinion, because the concept is exciting but the writer’s lack of knowledge on how to do a basic research tore down the whole effort. I had read a book written by Rhodes before without having any problems. Probably, because History had nothing to do with the subject. Needless to say, I won’t read the rest of her work and I am sorry to say that I do not recommend this one at all. There are other books on the same subject by writers who actually respect their readers, the material, and their own effort.

''Stand near woodland in early spring, after night has fallen and when the air is still, and if you're lucky, you'll hear the thrilling, trilling song of the nightingale.''

Few things can be more relaxing and soothing than the nightingales' song in the twilight. Those of us who live in the big cities where every sound of nature is drawn in a cacophony of cars and humans rarely get the chance to enjoy the chirping of Nature's greatest singers. Birds have always fascinated us. They embody tranquility and stealth and have attained something the human always seeks. The flight. So, there is no wondering why the majority of the collective nouns in the English Language refers to birds.

This little treasure of a book is a comprehensive guide to the collective nouns, tracing their origins back to scarcely recorded times and shows how historical and sociopolitical issues has always influenced our languages and our way of thinking. My favourites have always been ''A Murder of Crows'' and ''A Parliament of Owls.'' I mean, obviously....Nouns about people, professions, domestic and exotic animals in a book written in an effective, engaging and informative style without becoming boring like a textbook. This is perfect for teachers and students and for all of us who enjoy exploring the origins and influences of this magical thing we call ''Language''.

Nice, very quick overview of superstitions, 3-5 paragraphs dedicated to each one. Many I'd never heard of.

The author seemed pretty full of herself. Admittedly, an enormous number of English words descend from French, especially here in America where French trappers and clergy penetrated deep into the continent.

Day-to-day speech is peppered with certain phrases, pithy sayings and folkore and this little book endeavours to give us the origin, and meaning of some of those phrases, with little observations which have been handed down over time, and an idea of how these sayings have altered over time. Citing sources from as far back as the ancient Greeks, and in every instance citing the first English reference to each phrase, a history lesson is given for each saying. We learn how each has changed meaning over the centuries, and how some have a scientific truth behind them, making them more than just lore. Few regional variations are provided, and only one or two references to American versions but it's easy to see the links, especially for this former Australian who grew up with similar, but not exactly the same maxims as those included in the book.

Included is a bibliography, a handy index, and it is peppered throughout with woodcuts by Charles Bewick by way of illustration.

This book was a short, interesting read which corrected certain misinterpretations of adages on my part, and thus I think it two hours well spent.

I am a word nerd. My favorite part of the National Spelling Bee is when the competitors ask for the definition or derivation of a word. I find it completely and totally fascinating to know the origins (sometimes far afield from our current usage) of the words we use in English today. English is such a polyglot language, almost a living organism picking up words from other languages that are just so appropriate for something we have yet to name. This book takes many of these words and phrases and informs the curious reader from whence they came.

Set up in a dictionary format with words and their explanations listed alphabetically, there are some delightfully tongue in cheek comments scattered throughout the text, especially in the example sentences. And the occasional cartoons illustrating some of the phrases are a complete hoot. I was surprised by how many of the words for which I already knew the origins. Even more interestingly, I use quite a few of these fabulous foreign imports in my daily life. I guess the fact that the words are listed in this book means they aren't as common as I'd thought and would explain the funny glazed expression people sometimes get on their faces when they are listening to me. (But really, who doesn't know what debacle means? Seriously.) This type of book probably doesn't have a widespread appeal but it is perfect reading for your average English major and even minor. Personally I thought it was just plain interesting. Now I have to get up the courage to read the one about math terms!

This book is filled with some odd, funny, and all-around great stories on the evolution of many words, such as Schadenfreude, Wanderlust, and my favorite thing to wear – Pajamas. However, even though I am a lover of words, I still learned quite a few new things after reading the book. My favorite was the history of the word Frottage – Rubbing (French). “The word comes from the French verb “frotter,” to “rub,” and for a while it was a psychiatric name for a sexual disorder characterized by the desire tp rub up against another person without his or her consent (now known as “frotterism”). It does have a more innocent meaning in the art world, where it refers to the technique for making brass rubbings, but theses days it’s generally reserved for the kind of consensual, through-the-clothes body rubbing that we might otherwise be forced to call “dry humping.”" (Rhodes, p.77)

You can read the rest of my review here:

http://thegirlfromtheghetto.wordpress.com/2010/03/16/a-certain-%e2%80%9cje-ne-sa...

As far as language trivia books go, this one isn't too bad. The layout is good, the entries interesting but not so detailed as to turn a casual reader off, and the images that sometimes accompany the entries are amusing.

The only complaint that I have about this book is that it's very obvious that it wasn't changed in the slightest when brought from a British to a North American publisher and audience. There are terms explained in the book that I've never heard used before, and some terms explained that I know are typically British, such as "nosh." This isn't a terrible thing, but it might alienate some readers from the concepts being explained. Language as a concept is universal, but specific languages and dialects don't always travel well, and I think that should have been kept more in mind.

Otherwise, though, this was an interesting book. So long as you aren't looking for detailed explanations of how English got its loan words, of course, but then again, that's not what this book is for. That's what academic books are for. (Not that I'd mind getting my hands on some of those, either!)

Words, phrases, certain sayings we use all the time...do you ever wonder where they came from? "A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi" by Chloe Rhodes lets us in on the origins of things we say every day. From A cappella ( in the manner of the choir) to Zeitgeist (spirit of the time), Chic (elegant) to Sarong (covering), any lover of words will love this book. Examples as well as origins are given alphabetically. This would be a great book for any reader, graduate (high school or college), anyone who is crazy about language.

My Mom instilled me with a love of words, and she would have loved this book! No Caveat Emptor (let the buyer beware), needed, this is so much fun!

Get this book for yourself, or for anyone whose Raison d'Etre (reason for being) has anything to do with words. You won't regret it!

I received this book from Julie at FSB Associates for review. Thanks!!½

This is a great new reference work that you might just find yourself curling up with as if it were a novel. It explores 'the origin of foreign words used in English', and some of them are pretty amusing.

For example, our term paparazzi referred to the Italian word for mosquito and was related to a Fellini film (how appropriate is that!). And when you say someone has a lot of panache, you probably aren't referring to the feather on their hat, but that is where the word derives from: a plume of feather that exuded flair (French origin). Now we consider panache more of an expression of style (i.e. Johnny Depp has the trademark on panache)! Another interesting word in our literary world is denouement, which originated in the French and referred to 'an untying'. That makes sense, as when we get to the denouement of the book all the complexities usually are unravelled and our understanding is clear.

I enjoyed the different choices of phrases and the accurate explanation of what they originally meant. I always thought Quid Pro Quo meant doing something for free, somewhat mixing it up with Pro Bono. Both of my interpretations were wrong: quid pro quo means something done in exchange for something else (not free). Pro Bono means something done 'for the good' as in a public service.

This is a reference work useful to almost anyone, but I can't help but think a high school or college student might especially benefit from the explanations and fast paced instruction. My only disappointment was that the book doesn't offer pronounciations with the phrases. Most are obvious, but a few really could use a guide on how to correctly pronounce the phrase (thus settling many dinner party disputes).

Whether you are a lover of the written word in general, or you simply love to learn about where particular words and saying came from, this is a must read for you. Presented in a reference book style that allows easy look up of your favorites, it can be read straight through or picked up at random to provide a meaning, or saying at a moments notice. You may not recognize them all (I sure didn't) but those that are new will simply be fodder to add to your ever growing knowledge base. Carpe diem! (...and happy reading!)

There can’t be a more American word than “dungarees”, right? Actually, according to author Chloe Rhodes, the word dungarees comes from a Hindi word Dungri which is a cotton cloth used for sails and tents in India. This is the type of word information contained in A Certain Je Ne Sais Quoi.

Listed alphabetically, the book gives not only the origin of the words we use, but also how they became included in our language. Many of the words we hear regularly, kowtow, alma mater, kudos, and glitch, have their origins in other countries around the world. How appropriate is the origin of the word “paparazzi” which is an Italian word for mosquitoes!

This is an entertaining book filled with information for those with an interest in words and for those who want to use them correctly. This is the most recent book in a series by Reader’s Digest.