A poetry collection that playfully questions the meanings of words.
Walter Ancarrow’s collection Etymologies considers language as a process, rather than as a singular fixed history. These poems build imaginative worlds with a variety of creative word uses. They form a playful amalgamation of linguistic interpretations that flips and questions conventional narratives about word origins—including the idea that clear origins even exist. Throughout the collection, Ancarrow questions the intent of writers who use etymology in attempts to prove a specific meaning for any word. In so doing, Etymologies pays particular attention to relationships between the cultures and conflicts, the migrations and hegemonies, that create our words, and it considers how their meanings are furthered by us as we keep them alive through speech.
Etymologies won Omnidawn’s 2021 Open Poetry Book Prize, selected by John Yau.
- ISBN10 1632431130
- ISBN13 9781632431134
- Publish Date 6 May 2023
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Omnidawn Publishing
- Format Paperback (US Trade)
- Pages 72
- Language English