Logomania: Where Common Phrases Come From and How to Use Them

Ever wondered what a pyrrhic victory is? Been curious if there is a connection between real white elephants and expensive properties that don't make money? Can't figure out what a banshee is and why it screams?

If you've always wanted to know where your favourite expressions come from or are flummoxed by those you haven't heard of before, this book is for you.

‘Logomania,' which means ‘being crazy about words,' is derived from the Greek roots, log, meaning ‘word,' and mainesthai, meaning ‘mad.' It's a made-up word, so it's not in the dictionary yet!

LOGOMANIA delves into the meaning and history of over 400 English phrases from ‘a babe in the woods' to ‘you reap what you sow.' Arranged by chapters so you can check out phrases linked by common imagery, and indexed so you can find the phrase you want quickly, this little reference chock-full of information. Each entry also comes an example so can see how the expression is used.

Ellen Whyte was given her first dictionary at school when she was seven. Designed for kids, it was limited to defining common words in a dull way. At about the same time, someone gave her an encyclopaedia on animals. The dictionary was ignored while the encyclopaedia was read until it fell apart. It wasn't for some years before she discovered that languages could be as interesting as encyclopaedias. She is now completely hooked on learning the stories that lie behind the words and phrases we use every day.