English Through the Ages

From Barnes & Noble

Getting the events and locations right in a historical romance is only half the battle. Your characters need to talk properly as well, using the lingo of the day. English Through the Ages is a unique book of etymology that shows a timeline for the evolution of the English language. Organized into word categories -- such as "Slang," "The Body," and "Everyday Life" -- this easy-to-use resource can tell you what words were in use during what time periods and when different meanings evolved. A fun book for any writer or language lover, it is a must-have for anyone who wants to write historical fiction.

Library Journal

Brohaugh, former editor of Writer's Digest magazine, current editorial director for Writer's Digest Books, and author of two books about writing, has created a unique English-language reference. Unlike most books about words, this one is arranged chronologically, not alphabetically. The prime purpose of English Through the Ages is to show when words entered the language and became part of the written record. The body of the work consists of a series of word lists. The first three lists correspond to the first major stage of the English language; Old English, Middle English, and Late Middle English words are grouped in 25-year increments. A list for the 20th century is compiled in ten-year increments. Although some entries include the part of speech, a definition, the date of earliest use, other meanings, and related words, the amount of information provided is not uniform and sometimes seems a little thin. This is an interesting work that could be useful to writers looking for diction of a time period and students of language and history. A very brief history of English and a comprehensive, large index are also included. An interesting but not essential purchase for larger libraries.Paul A. D'Alessandro, Portland P.L., Me.

Booknews

This volume pinpoints the year of the first recorded use of thousands of English words, according to the linguistic era in which the word is first found recorded (in Old, Middle, or Late Middle English). Words are organized by topical category, including medicine, music, law, the body, insults, and the like. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.