This is an etymological study of the origins of the word kibosh, which has long been one of the great mysteries of the English language. Unconvincing derivations have been suggested from Yiddish to Gaelic and Italian, and thus far consensus among lexicographers has leaned toward referencing the word as 'origin unknown'.

In this study, the authors present convincing and important new evidence in favour of the derivation of kibosh from the word for a fearsome Middle Eastern whip, known as the kurbash.

This monograph is one of the most significant etymological works directed at a single phrase. It is the gold standard on deep-drill, focused and exhaustive single-word lexicography and will be of interest to lexicographers and linguists in the relevant fields.

About the Author

Gerald Cohen is Professor of German and Russian, with a research specialty in etymology, at Missouri University of Science and Technology, USA.

Stephen Goranson works in the library of Duke University, where he also earned a doctorate.

Matthew Little is Associate Professor of English at Mississippi State University.

Reviews

"Mr Cohen [...] worked with his co-authors to piece together how "kibosh" came into British usage in the 1830s. The resulting book 'Origins of Kibosh' in the Routledge Studies in Etymology series, settles on a convincing origin story."

-- Ben Zimmer, Wall Street Journal, 30-31 December 2017

"Read 'Origin of Kibosh' and you will indeed be instructed and amused."

-- Anatoly Liberman, The Oxford Etymologist, 29 November 2017

'To the extent that it presents all the relevant evidence, unvarnished, thus inviting serious scholars to participate in the etymological thinking that accompanies the evidence, Origin of Kibosh sets a great example and makes its case. It's a small work of meticulous scholarship that will appeal to specialists in English (for its narrative) and etymologists (for its method).'

-- Michael Adams, Dictionaries (Journal of the Dictionary Society of North America), pp.289-298, Volume 41, Issue 2 (2020)

Book Information
ISBN 9781138628953
Author Gerald Cohen
Format Hardback
Page Count 172
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 312g