This book is 100% for ME. I took am elective in high school called "etymology" so I am definitely the target audience for this. I ATE it up! I am definitely going to be buying a physical copy, because it was a little difficult to read on Kindle with some formatting issues, and I would love to see it in print. I took my time reading this, as it's full of interesting tidbits (not factoids, spoiler alert...read and you'll know what I'm talking about!). You can read it in bits, keep for later, and amaze people with your knowledge and nerdiness at parties. Highly recommend!

There were so many points during reading this where I turned to my husband and told him what I was learning. I loved sharing this as I read, and we both enjoyed learning about the origins of many words. The structure for me, was quite chaotic and did not follow set themes. Also, I found myself tuning out at points. I think it would work well as an audio book or podcast series.

I never thought I’d enjoy a book about etymology, since it’s not something I’ve ever been interested in.. and English isn’t even my first language, I’m an Arabic speaker.. but this book really surprised me. It’s written in a very fun and simple way, not academic or boring at all, and I found myself reading more and more without even planning to. I learned so many strange and interesting things about everyday words that I’ve never thought about before. What I loved most is how learning about the history of words felt a bit like learning about history itself.. like how fossils help us understand the distant past, these words carry hidden stories and meanings that connect us to old times, cultures, and people. It made me see the English language in a completely new way.

I picked up this book on a whim because it sounded interesting, and I love learning new things. The book explores words and their origins, detailing how they came to be and their histories. While the book is quite wordy (pun intended), the author balances this with humour, making what could be a long, boring read actually engaging and enjoyable.

That said, it’s not a book you should read in one sitting, as it's still quite lengthy. It’s perfect for those who want to learn new words and their histories. I recommend taking your time with it, flipping back and forth as you go through its amazing content.

I can't wait to see what else the author releases, and I’m eager to explore their earlier works because this book was amazing!

This was a fun read and not so niche that casual readers won't pick it up (the word "useless" always attracts the curious). Our library's nonfiction section is in need of an update; this would be a fluffy but fun addition. Will recommend for acquisition.

As someone who delights in the quirks and curiosities of the English language, Useless Etymology by Jess Zafarris was a delightful read. The book offers a treasure trove of word origins, presenting them in a manner that's both educational and entertaining.

I particularly enjoyed how the book is structured to allow for casual reading; it's perfect for picking up during short breaks or when you have a few moments to spare. Each entry provides a fascinating glimpse into the history of a word, often accompanied by amusing anecdotes or surprising facts.

While the content is rich and engaging, I did find the organization a bit haphazard at times. The transitions between topics could be smoother, and a more defined structure might enhance the reading experience. Additionally, the tone of the book differed slightly from what I expected based on the cover design, but this didn't detract significantly from my overall enjoyment.

In summary, Useless Etymology is a charming and informative read that would appeal to language enthusiasts and casual readers alike. It's a wonderful addition to any bookshelf and serves as a great conversation starter.

Thank you to Netgalley and John Murray Press for the ARC

“The word and abbreviation “OK” most likely came about as a result of… well, nerds being silly. (Not that anyone reading this book can judge.)”

One would think that a 300+ pages long book about etymology wouldn’t exactly be a fun read - and they would be wrong!
“Useless etymology” (let’s take a second to appreciate the beautiful cover) by Jess Zafarris was an enlightening, fun and pleasing read. As a final year student of linguistic mediation (with a focus on linguistics), I knew I had to read this book as soon as I could. It’s obviously not a book you would read in one sitting, but I found myself going back to it multiple times a day, while taking breaks from my studying.
The writing style makes it easy to clearly understand even the in-depth explanations, without ever getting boring or feeling like reading from a textbook.
So thank you Zafarris, now I have a whole lot of interesting facts to share with people who probably don’t really care…!

I was looking forward to this book but found it somewhat disappointing. It didn't flow or appear logical in its presentation and was just rather flat and difficult to engage with.
My thanks to NetGalley and John Murray Press for this arc in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

I loved this book! As someone who has always enjoyed etymology, specifically of the english language, i was excited to see a new book on the topic. Useless etymology is a bit chaotic in its layout, but i also like that about it. It’s definitely one of those books that you don’t binge read but pick up and read a few pages. A great coffee table read. Overall would definitely recommend to those who like etymology or just random facts on general.

Corgi means "dwarf dog" in Welsh. If you find that fun and interesting (you really should), then do I have a book for you! Useless Etymology by Jess Zafarris is probably useless only in the sense that it won't save your life (probably). However, if you are looking to blow people's minds (or at least make them roll their eyes) then this is a stupendous book.

Do you want to know what the #$%& a grawlix is? Well, I just told you.

Zafarris breaks down tons of common and amazingly esoteric words to tell you where they come from, what they meant, and what they mean now. She sprinkles in a few jokes and some sample sentences to keep things naughty (which used to mean something very different!).

I'm not going to belabor the point. If you like words, you will like this. Yes, it can get slightly repetitive if you zoom through like I did. Highly recommend taking this one a chapter at a time to maximize your amazement.

(This book was provided as an advance copy by NetGalley and John Murray Press.)

I was just talking with someone about how people don't just sit around reading dictionaries and encyclopedias anymore because we can just look things up now. I used to keep world record, trivia and other reference books in the living room so we could grab them and learn odd things for fun.
This book is called Useless Etymology but I beg to differ. Will I use it for work or to fix my car, probably not, but the way it's set up, there's just so much learning happening. There's a topic and instead of just an answer, there are whole discussions about it. This would be great for home or classrooms but it could be fun as a group or family activity, so people could think about their own experiences with these words.
I'm a librarian and a language nerd, but this is so much fun.

If you’re a word nerd or simply someone fascinated by the quirks of the English language, this book is a real treat. It dives into the complex history of English with clarity, wit, and a deep appreciation for etymology. Unlike many language books I’ve read, this one stands out for how it groups words by category, making it easy to explore specific themes and trace patterns across different origins.

The author’s passion for linguistics shines through every page, and there’s a great balance between well-known facts and delightful surprises. From Greek and Latin roots to the evolution through Old and Middle English, the book does a fantastic job of connecting the dots between ancient tongues and modern vocabulary.

While the tone was slightly different from what I expected based on the cover, the content more than made up for it. This is a book that works well both as a reference and a casual read - you can jump in anywhere and walk away with a new insight or two. It’s accessible enough for beginners but packed with enough depth to satisfy seasoned language lovers. A wonderful educational resource and a fun addition to any linguaphile’s bookshelf.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This is a great etymology books for all types of readers, including those new to linguistics. There are some very fun facts and lots of interesting information in the book. It was a different style of writing than I anticipated based on the cover, so it’s something I would recommend pulling information from as needed. It’s a great educational tool and I think it would likely spark interest in young learners.

A great book for word nerds and anyone who loves learning! Covers why English is such a complex language. I’ve read many books on language, but this one was unique—and hardly useless! Loved how the chapters grouped different categories of words.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

What a fun piece of work this book is! It’s always a delight to read a book that is clearly so dedicated to the concepts that it is explaining. I do love a good word origin, so I found a lot of value in this book as a whole.

While there were some aspects that I was already familiar with, there were definitely facts that I wasn’t aware of, and they’ve made a lovely addition to my verbal arsenal. I think there’s so many interesting things to be learnt from words and language and how we use and treat it, and this book absolutely reflects that.

I was particularly fond of the explanations that were put into the Greek and Latin origins and their connection to Old and Middle English. Seeing how we bridged the gap between our languages over history is absolutely fascinating, and so valuable to understand where we get our words from (as a whole).

Highly recommend this one to any word nerds seeking to understand more about the world around them!

I was very excited about the idea of this book. I’m a person who really enjoys random or “useless “ facts. Unfortunately, this book was a big miss for me. Initially, I thought perhaps the layout was weird in the kindle app, but after reading other reviews, I see that’s not the case. There were parts that felt like I was reading a research paper. The seems to be no rhyme or reason to the flow of information. It just feels very poorly organized. I do have ADHD, so this is possibly a ‘me’ problem. I feel like it would be much better received if it was formatted differently.

Pretty fun and informative. A great read for those of you who are interested on some not so useless ( VERY INTERESTING) etymology :)

A fun book about various words and were they come from. The author uses a lot of humor so the text does not feel to dense but it goes over quite a lot so I suggest taking your time with it and popping in and out of the read so you can retain the information.

As said in other reviews I didn't always understand why we were jumping from one word to another and it lacked logical structure in some parts. But that's truly the only criticism I can give.

A super fun read if you are a nerd about words and writ8ng. And especially interesting when English is not your first langage.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book

This book was a fascinating introduction to the world of etymology, with a highlight being the factoids peppered throughout. I've seen hundreds of viral posts describing the mythical origins or "meanings" behind words; while these may have been great conversation starters, Useless Etymology debunked several of them while exploring the actual chronological beginnings and adaptations behind these words (for example, SOS). Diving into the etymology of these words was as much a lesson on the culture/society that birthed them, and the book presented a unique viewpoint on the history of English-speaking cultures. I especially enjoyed the sections on folk etymology and acronymic words. On the flip side, however, the book could sometimes be a bit dense, making it difficult to read in one sitting. As someone who was dipping my toes into etymological waters for the first time, there were parts of the book that felt a bit "technically heavy." I would still recommend Useless Etymology to anyone interested in words and the stories behind those words.

This is a delightful collection of word facts. It's as entertaining as it is informative. I don't know if a book such as this would interest everyone. But for those of us who do appreciate it, it's well worth the read.

My favorite quote is:
"One surprising thing about the study of language and linguistics:The more you learn, the less pedantic you become and the more you revel in the glorious, rip-roaring chaos of iterative creativity."
Which is something I learned after studying grammar in college. Words are always changing in meaning, spelling, general use, etc. It will be interesting to see how language changes in the next 10 years.

I think this book is perfect for anyone who wants to understand etymology and/or the wacky world of words.