An illuminating excavation of our linguistic origins from ancient times to the present day - the perfect Christmas gift for your favourite word nerd

Olivia Swarthout, creator of the viral sensation Weird Medieval Guys, turns her idiosyncratic and humorous eye to the fascinating roots of the English language. Here, she introduces readers to wordspotting, a hobby for those who love words and their peculiarities, origins and histories. From the seemingly modern 'unfriend' - which dates back to the seventeenth century - to the revelation that the leotard was named after its inventor Jules Léotard, The Wordspotter's Guide brims with fascinating linguistic tidbits alongside advice and techniques for detecting the bizarre and unlikely commonalities between words and their meanings. An invitation to pay better attention to words and their stories, this etymological romp will bring out the wordspotter in everyone.

"Word nerds can unite around this book for lovers of the English language ... Smart, scholarly, perceptive and engaging, this book is a must-read for anyone obsessed with language and communication" - Library Journal

"Praise for WEIRD MEDIEVAL GUYS" - :

"A gently fascinating insight into the marginalia of a lost era" - Guardian

"The best gift book there is ... I genuinely struggle to think of a person who might not love it" - Independent - Best Books to Gift (and gift again)

"Full of illuminating snippets that is sure to brighten up the darkest of times ... we love this book" - Blackwells

"Brilliantly funny ... Olivia celebrates the wonderful weirdness of the past in this gleeful book" - Simple Things - Christmas Gift Guide 2023

"Weird Medieval Guys is a riot ... it is enticingly re-readable and will remain a favourite for the non-expert, while also being enjoyable to the specialist" - Morning Star