KENT, Conn.—The Kent Memorial Library will present an author talk with Jen Zaffaris Thursday, Oct. 23, at 6 p.m. Zaffaris is author of “Useless Etymology,” which explores the offbeat origins of English words.
English is among the most difficult languages for non-natives to learn because of its amalgamation of words from so many different courses and its idiosyncratic pronunciations.
Did you know that an “astronaut” is literally a “star sailor,” that a thesaurus is, in fact, a “treasure trove” of words, and that someone who is “sinister” is actually just “left-handed”?
“Useless Etymology” takes readers on a time-traveling adventure to unlock the beauty, wonder and absurdity within everyday words, how they came to be and the unexpected ways their origins weave a global, cross-cultural labyrinth of meaning.
Registration is requested. The library is located at 32 Main St..
For more information, call 860-927-3761.
