Word Perfect

Etymological Entertainment For Every Day of the Year

De: Susie Dent

Narrado por: Susie Dent

Lexicographer and all-round word expert, queen of Countdown's Dictionary Corner for over 20 years, regular columnist for the Independent, Radio Times and The Week, Susie Dent is a national treasure. Her warm witty tweets reintroducing us to the words that we all need more in our lives from scurryfunge (frantically tidying up by shoving things into a cupboard just before visitors arrive) to apricity, (the warmth of the sun on a winter's day) are among the internet's most shared - now she's turning them into a linguistic almanac.

From 1st January to 31st December the listener will discover a curious coinage or a fascinating etymological fact linked to that particular day - from the dramatic true story behind stealing someone's thunder to the original Jack the Lad. Word Perfect gathers all her very best discoveries from the true origin of freelancer which comes from knights who were free to use their lance for whoever paid most, rather than being tied to a single lord. (Also secretaries kept your secrets so were secretries).

Sticks and stones should probably be still avoided but words, especially in the hands of Susie Dent, will never hurt you. We don't have to choose the negative, Word Perfect offers a vivid reminder that you can be gruntled, ruthful, couth, ruly, kempt, pecunious, toward, whelmed and full of gorm. And we all need a bit more of that in our lives.

©2020 Susie Dent (P)2020 Hodder & Stoughton Ltd

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Susie Dent is a one-off. She breathes life and fun into words and language." (Pam Ayres)

I’ve played this book approximately 500 times…

That doesn’t mean I’ve heard it all… let me explain.
I put on Susie Dent as I turn out the light and snuggle in to sleep. 10 min later, I am.
This is not to say I’m being ‘bored’ to sleep, far from it.
Susie’s narration in like the tinkle of water in a babbling stream. It lulls me off into the arms of Morpheus. And I love it.
No matter where I start the book, I am still hearing derivations and anecdotes for the first time.
And yes, I do use some of my boarding vocabulary on my unsuspecting friends.
In short, I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
N.B. To hear Susie explain the ancestry of the F word had me in stitches! This is a great listen, thank you Susie, for letting me sleep with you.

Buy The Book

This book is so amazing you’re better off buying rather than listening to it - or do both. The information comes at you quickly and I found myself wanting to revisit numerous words. Get the book and grab a highlighter.

Might be interesting if you were a Brit.

The words highlighted, at least for the first 14 days of January, were words that very few people in the U.S. have ever heard of or would ever use in their lives. I should have known as the reader of the book has a British accent. Waste of my credit.