“Words The Vikings Gave Us” is a light-hearted look at the horde of words the English dictionary stole from the Vikings. From akimbo to yule Old Norse merged with Anglo-Saxon to form the start of the English language.This book, the second in the series, explores the Viking history of words like kiss, ombudsman, bluetooth, frisbee, thing, and hustings. More than 290 words and phrases are featured - drawn from ship life, Viking food, farming, norse romance, myths, politics, modern Vikings, anatomy, place names, daily life, and of course how to fight like a Viking.It’s time to set sail in your longship. Horned helmet optional. Ideal for word geeks, history buffs, and anybody who’s ever longed to throw an axe. 'An enjoyable, light-hearted look at Viking influence on the English language.' - Popular History Books 'Serious etymologists and casual readers alike will be enthralled (yep, enthralled is a viking import)...I would recommend her work to anyone fascinated by the wonder of words and the way they shape everything within the world around us. Fantastic stuff.' - Spells and Spaceships book blog Vikings reached North America, settled from Iceland to Russia, traded down the Silk Road, created the North Sea Empire, and ruled most of the British Isles for nearly two centuries. Along the way they gave the English language thousands of words from akimbo to yule . Explore 290 words the Vikings gave to the dictionary which we use everyday - covering everything from food and farming to fighting and myths. Surprising stops on the route include Norse Romance ( hugs and kisses ), Power & Politics ( laws, ombudsman, and the oldest parliament in the world), Modern Vikings ( quisling, noble, skype, hygge, and bluetooth ), and oddments like frisbee, litmus, rambo , and plogging . Don your helmet, grab your axe, and may Odin bless your word history voyage. Grace Tierney's Wordfoolery blog about unusual English words has been entertaining readers since 2009. Her books about the history of words - "Words the Vikings Gave Us", "Words the Sea Gave Us" and "How To Get Your Name In The Dictionary" are are out now in paperback and ebook. When not writing about words Grace is a columnist, NaNoWriMo mentor, Ireland Reads ambassador, regular radio contributor, and creator of serialised novels.