REFERENCE

Just the Job: How Trades Got Their Names

by Alexander Tulloch

Bodleian Library. Nov. 2020. 224p. ISBN 9781851245505. $22.50. REF

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Linguist Tulloch delves into trades, professions, and just plain jobs, from the defunct (fletcher, cordwainer) to the newly minted (cloud architect). Some designations have changed with the times (fireman to firefighter), while others now remain as surnames (Spencer, Smith) rather than occupational designations. Black-and-white drawings add interest; occasional quotes have little connection to the narrative descriptions.

VERDICT A quick read, of possible interest to etymology buffs and historians.

Reviewed by Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley Sch., Fort Worth, TX , Dec 01, 2020

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