Epistemology
The word "epistemology" is derived from the ancient Greek "epistēmē" meaning "knowledge" and the suffix "-logy", meaning "logical discourse" (derived from the Greek word "logos" meaning "discourse"). It is analogue to the German "Wissenschaftslehre" (literally, theory of science) which was introduced by philosophers Johann Fichte and Bernard Bolzano in the late 18th century. The word first appeared in English in 1847 as a translation of the German in New York's "Eclectic Magazine" review of a philosophical novel by German author Jean Paul:
Mark Forsyth
The popularity of "Inky Fool" led to Forsyth's first book publishing deal in 2011 with Icon Books. In "The Etymologicon: A Circular Stroll Through the Hidden Connection of The English Language," Forsyth explains the meanings and derivations of well-known words and phrases, and explores the strange connections between words in a stream-of-consciousness fashion. The book's title, originally called "Point Blank Check Mate: The Inky Fool's Book of Word Association", references the poet John Milton who purportedly invented the word "etymologicon" to describe a book containing etymologies. The book's structure, described as whimsical, leads the reader to "unexpected coinages and devious linkages, sexy, learned and satisfyingly obscure." It is, according to reviewer Karin Schimke, "a cursory run through history presented with a wry eye and a peculiar sense of humor." Reviewer Robert McCrum wrote, "Not since "Eats, Shoots & Leaves" has a book about language...attracted so much attention in bookshops, running through successive reprints." "The Etymologicon" was a "Sunday Times" No. 1 Bestseller in January 2012.