THEREBY HANGS A TALE
Stories of Curious Word Origins
By Charles Earle Funk
Harper Resource - October 2002
ISBN: 0060513381 - Paperback
Nonfiction / Reference

Reviewed by Nancy Mehl for MyShelf.com
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Charles Earl Funk has written many books that look at the origins of words and phrases. Much of his research is not only enlightening but entertaining. For example, did you know that a man once considered one of the greatest scholars and philosophers of the Middle Ages, John Duns Scotus, was the impetus for the word "dunce?" (Obviously things went downhill for Mr. Scotus!) The word trivia actually means "one who is worshipped where three roads meet." Funk explains the connection between this odd meaning and its current useage. Noted tap dancer, Bill Robinson, is said to have coined the word "copesetic" - but did he?

Explanations for these words and others are contained in THEREBY HANG A TALE. It is a look into the genesis of words and phrases we take for granted - but shouldn't.

Although many of the listings were interesting, not all of the research came to a definite conclusion. This was somewhat disappointing. Also, I was looking more for amusing stories than actual explanations of language origins, but all in all, THEREBY HANGS A TALE is a book worth having on your bookshelf. (And think how much you can impress your friends the next time they carelessly toss out a word without knowing just where it came from!)