The Disappearing Dictionary

A Treasury of Lost English Dialect Words

Nonfiction, Reference & Language, Language Arts, Linguistics, Entertainment, Humour & Comedy, General Humour
Cover of the book The Disappearing Dictionary by David Crystal, Pan Macmillan
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Author: David Crystal ISBN: 9781447282792
Publisher: Pan Macmillan Publication: May 21, 2015
Imprint: Macmillan Language: English
Author: David Crystal
ISBN: 9781447282792
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Publication: May 21, 2015
Imprint: Macmillan
Language: English

Wherever you go in the English-speaking world, there are linguistic riches from times past awaiting rediscovery. All you have to do is choose a location, find some old documents, and dig a little.

In The Disappearing Dictionary, linguistics expert Professor David Crystal collects together delightful dialect words that either provide an insight into an older way of life, or simply have an irresistible phonetic appeal. Like a mirror image of The Meaning of Liff that just happens to be true, The Disappearing Dictionary unearths some lovely old gems of the English language, dusts them down and makes them live again for a new generation.

dabberlick [noun, Scotland]

A mildly insulting way of talking about someone who is tall and skinny. 'Where's that dabberlick of a child?'

fubsy [adjective, Lancashire]

Plump, in a nice sort of way.

squinch [noun, Devon]

A narrow crack in a wall or a space between floorboards. 'I lost sixpence through a squinch in the floor'.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Wherever you go in the English-speaking world, there are linguistic riches from times past awaiting rediscovery. All you have to do is choose a location, find some old documents, and dig a little.

In The Disappearing Dictionary, linguistics expert Professor David Crystal collects together delightful dialect words that either provide an insight into an older way of life, or simply have an irresistible phonetic appeal. Like a mirror image of The Meaning of Liff that just happens to be true, The Disappearing Dictionary unearths some lovely old gems of the English language, dusts them down and makes them live again for a new generation.

dabberlick [noun, Scotland]

A mildly insulting way of talking about someone who is tall and skinny. 'Where's that dabberlick of a child?'

fubsy [adjective, Lancashire]

Plump, in a nice sort of way.

squinch [noun, Devon]

A narrow crack in a wall or a space between floorboards. 'I lost sixpence through a squinch in the floor'.

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