America in So Many Words: Words That Have Shaped America

by David K. Barnhart and Allan Metcalf

Book Overview

This book presents a unique historical view of American English. It chronicles year by year the contributions Americans have made to the vocabulary of English and the words Americans have embraced through the evolution of the nation. For important years from the settlement of Jamestown until 1750, and for every year from 1750 through 1998, a prominent word is analyzed and discussed in its historical context. The result is a fascinating survey of...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0618002707
• ISBN13: 9780618002702
• Release Date: September 1999
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.8" x 8.1"

Customer Reviews

An Interesting Perspective On US History

This book gives the historical background of over three hundred words that are in some way uniquely American-born. Boring, you say? Never! The entries are arranged chronologically and include some words that you might suspect (underground railroad, motel) and quite a few that may surprise you (hello, bathtub, bug). Each entry provides a fascinating look at the people and times that led to the development of the word. An index lets you look up specific words.