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40 °F 5 Day Forecast Monday, December 8, 2003 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | eSouthernOregon | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend November 25, 2003 Since You Asked Dictionary is still the best source on words Hi guys — I’m trying to find a book on word origins as a Christmas present, and I know you folks must use them to answer questions. Of all the ones you use, which is the best? — Jac N. Gee, thanks Jac. You mean it shows? Actually, we just make that stuff up. But no. The best single source is still a good unabridged dictionary. Say you’re doing the daily crossword and you come upon that old standard, a four-letter word for a needle case, and you work it out as "etui." Interesting word. A glance at your dictionary tells you the word came from the French, from the Old French estui , a container, from estuier , to shut up, probably from vulgar Latin estudiare , to take care of, from the Latin studium , which means it has the same root as study and student. Advertisement Once you invest in a good dictionary, there are many, many books on word origins and etymology ranging from scholarly to humorous. Two of our favorites are "The Morris Dictionary of Words and Phrase Origins," by William and Mary Morris and "A History of English in its Own Words," by Craig M. Carver, both originally from HarperCollins. It’s the old story. There’s no one "best." These two are very different, but each makes its points with erudition and wit. Send questions to "Since You Asked," Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by e-mail to [email protected] . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Real Estate Showcase Food for Thought Hike of the Week Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Openings Prime Times