Skip to content
Scan a barcode
Scan
Added to your cart
Hardcover Forgotten English: Words That Didn't Stand the Test of Time Book

ISBN: 0688150187

ISBN13: 9780688150181

Forgotten English: A Merry Guide to Antiquated Words, Packed with History, Fun Facts, Literary Excerpts, and Charming Drawings

Select Format

Select Condition ThriftBooks Help Icon

Recommended

Format: Hardcover

Condition: Very Good

$5.99
Save $16.51!
List Price $22.50
Almost Gone, Only 3 Left!

You Might Also Enjoy

The Word Museum: The Most Remarkable English Words Ever Forgotten
The Word Museum: The Most Remarkable English Words Ever Forgotten
Jeffrey Kacirk

from: $4.29

Informal English: Puncture Ladies, Egg Harbors, Mississippi Marbles, and Other Curious Words and Phrases of North America
Informal English: Puncture Ladies, Egg Harbors, Mississippi Marbles, and Other Curious Words and Phrases of North America
Jeffrey Kacirk

from: $6.59

Our Mutual Friend
Our Mutual Friend
Charles Dickens

from: $5.19

Usage and Abusage: A Guide to Good English
Usage and Abusage: A Guide to Good English
Eric Partridge

from: $4.79

The Horologicon: A Day's Jaunt Through the Lost Words of the English Language
The Horologicon: A Day's Jaunt Through the Lost Words of the English Language
Mark Forsyth

from: $6.39

Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Her Daughter Mary Shelley
Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Her Daughter Mary Shelley
Charlotte Gordon

from: $15.39

A Schoolteacher in Old Alaska: The Story of Hannah Breece
A Schoolteacher in Old Alaska: The Story of Hannah Breece
Hannah Breece

from: $4.79

Roanoke: Solving the Mystery of the Lost Colony
Roanoke: Solving the Mystery of the Lost Colony
Lee Miller

from: $4.29

The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things
The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things
Paula Byrne

from: $7.59

Illustrated Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words
Illustrated Dictionary of Unfamiliar Words
The Diagram Group

from: $5.69

Mrs. Byrne's Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure, and Preposterous Words: Gathered from Numerous and Diverse Authoritative Sources
Mrs. Byrne's Dictionary of Unusual, Obscure, and Preposterous Words: Gathered from Numerous and Diverse Authoritative Sources
Josefa Heifetz Byrne

from: $15.99

The True History of the Elephant Man
The True History of the Elephant Man
Michael Howell, Peter Ford

from: $6.19

My Life As Author And Editor
My Life As Author And Editor
H.L. Mencken

from: $6.59

Sofies verden
Sofies verden
Jostein Gaarder

from: $4.19

The World War One Source Book
The World War One Source Book
Philip J. Haythornthwaite

from: $6.39

The Prodigal Tongue: Dispatches from the Future of English
The Prodigal Tongue: Dispatches from the Future of English
Mark Abley

from: $5.79

Quite Enough of Calvin Trillin: Forty Years of Funny Stuff
Quite Enough of Calvin Trillin: Forty Years of Funny Stuff
Calvin Trillin

from: $5.39

Battleship Design and Development 1905-1945
Battleship Design and Development 1905-1945
Norman Friedman

from: $48.99

The Stories of English
The Stories of English
David Crystal

from: $4.79

Warrior to Dreadnought: Warship Development 1860-1905
Warrior to Dreadnought: Warship Development 1860-1905
D.K. Brown

Out of Stock

Book Overview

Have you ever sent a message via scandaroon, needed a nimgimmer, or fallen victim to bowelhive? Never heard of these terms? That's because they are a thing of the past. These words are alive and well, however, in Forgotten English, a charming collection of hundreds of archaic words, their definitions, and old-fashioned line drawings.For readers of Bill Bryson, Henry Beard, and Richard Lederer, Forgotten English is an eye-opening trip down a delightful etymological path. Readers learn that an ale connor sat in a puddle of ale to judge its quality, that a beemaster informed bees of any important household events, and that our ancestors had a saint for hangover sufferers, St. Bibiana, a fact pertinent to the word bibulous. Each selection is accompanied by literary excerpts demonstrating the word's usage, from sources such as Shakespeare, Dickens, Chaucer, and Benjamin Franklin. Entertaining as well as educational, Forgotten English is a fascinating addition to word lovers' books. This description may be from another edition of this product.

Customer Reviews

5 customer ratings | 5 reviews

Rated 5 stars
Unforgettable...

The English language has great diversity, perhaps nowhere as strong and colourful as across the spread of North America, the largest geographic landmass of English-speaking predominance in the world. Like any living language, the 'standard' is not always the one used in everyday speech and communication. The written language itself has differing standards, all at variance in one form or another from the spoken word. Because...

0Report

Rated 5 stars
Perfection

Not one to read in large portions, thisunique book is absolutely recommended to anyonewho loves the English language.Mr. Kacirk has done a wonderful serviceto Anglophiles and 's virtuesare many. He takes each word separately; givesa brief historical description; adds a few excerptsfrom where the word was used; and polishes it offwith a lovely line illustration (printed in green ink whichmakes for a perfect contrast to the...

0Report

Rated 5 stars
A Very Enjoyable Read....

Received my copy yesterday and am very impressed with the uncommon wealth of ancestral language! After only 30 minutes of reading I purchased a 2nd copy for a family member --didn't want to keep this treasure a secret! Entertaining and educational. Highly recommended!!!

0Report

Rated 5 stars
Interesting and amusing

"Forgotten English" is a delightful look at archaic words, expressions, and the societies that spawned them. The author does not simply define terms, but explains how they arose and what societal customs or beliefs they reflect. If you enjoy this book, you might also like the "Forgotten English" desk calendar.

0Report

Rated 5 stars
An incredible wealth of valuable, interesting and fun info!

Forgotten English is a great asset to the mind and library of any well-read english student, teacher, or any to whom words, language, literature and history are of interest. It gives incredible insight to many works of literature, such as Shakespeare, popular classics and many more obscure texts. The author, Mr. Kacirk, uses a wealth of information from a world of resources. Every entry to this not-quite-dictionary-style,...

0Report

Copyright © 2025 Thriftbooks.com Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information | Cookie Policy | Cookie Preferences | Accessibility Statement
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
GoDaddy Verified and Secured