New Words for Old (Recycling Our Language for the Modern World)

The English language is a versatile and agile thing, and as our world changes, so too does the way we use it. Aspirin, television, selfie—there was a time when these creations didn’t exist, but rather than coin a completely new word to describe them, we often adopt and adapt existing words to suit new purposes, or simply put two together to form a third. New Words for Old looks at the story behind the words we use every day and how their meanings have changed over time. From technology and fashion to politics and music, our language displays centuries of imagination and creativity, so often overlooked. Tracing the development of green from the days when it was just a color, web when it was something spiders made and trolls when they were nothing more threatening than the baddies in fairy tales, this is a fascinating tour through the history of the words we use every day and demonstrates just how wide we cast the net when trying to describe something new.