Words from Hell: Unearthing the Darkest Secrets of English Etymology (Paperback) - Jess Zafarris

From bodily functions to the dirtiest insults onto war and weaponry to illicit substances, this book goes where no dictionary has dared go before. It is the only adults-only etymology dictionary.

'A fiendishly good read!'
Mignon Fogarty, Grammar Girl

The English language is where words go to be tortured and mutilated into unrecognizable shadows of their former selves. It's where Latin, Greek, and Germanic roots are shredded apart and stitched unceremoniously back together with misunderstood snippets of languages snatched from the wreckage of conquest and colonialism. It wreaks merciless havoc upon grammar and spelling. It turns clinical terms into insults and children's tales into filthy euphemisms.

With an emphasis on understanding where the foulest words in the English language came from-and the disgusting and hilarious histories behind them-this book demonstrates the true filth of our everyday words. But this book is more than just a list of vulgar words and salacious slang. It's a thoughtful analysis of why we deem words as being inappropriate as well as revealing 'good words' that have surprisingly naughty origins.

Dirty-minded word nerds and lewd linguistics lovers will derive unadulterated pleasure in leering at the origins of swear words, sexual lingo, inappropriate idioms, violent vocabulary, and terminology for bodily functions-not to mention the unexpectedly foul origins of words you thought were perfectly innocent. If it's inappropriate, stomach-churning, uncomfortable, or offensive, this book reaches into the dark recesses of history and exposes them for all to see.

True to the Chambers brand, this book combines humour, scholarly research and a beautiful design. It is a book to enjoy, collect and revisit time and time again.

About the Author

Jess Zafarris is the author of the etymology books Words From Hell, Useless Etymology (forthcoming, Chambers) and Once Upon a Word (Rockridge Press 2020). Jess is an educational content creator and blogger who focuses on etymology and word-history-focused deep dives and explanations on her TikTok channel @jesszafarris and website uselessetymology.com.

Her master's and undergraduate degrees focused on the development of English through literature, as well as journalism, anthropology and language studies. She contributed to the tabletop game League of the Lexicon and the Writer's Digest Daily Calendar 2020.

She has appeared on podcasts including Dear Hank and John, Social Pros, Failing Writers, Yeah That's Probably an Ad, and Author2Author. By day, Jess is a content and engagement director, journalist, editor, and social media strategist responsible for developing multimedia content for brands, publishers and media outlets such as Adweek, Ragan Communications, Writer's Digest, and Script.