We like to recount that goodbye started out as "god be with you " that whiskey comes from the
Gaelic for "water of life " or that avocado originated as the Aztec word for "testicle." But
there are many words with origins unknown disputed or so buried in old journals that they may
as well be lost to the general public. In Origin Uncertain: Unraveling the Mysteries of
Etymology eminent etymologist Anatoly Liberman draws on his professional expertise and
etymological database to tell the stories of less understood words such as nerd fake ain't
hitchhike trash curmudgeon and quiz as well as puzzling idioms like kick the bucket and pay
through the nose. By casting a net so broadly the book addresses language history language
usage (including grammar) history (both ancient and modern) religion superstitions and
material culture.
