The Colloquial Cat: How Cats Got Our Tongue in 55 Fabulous Phrases
by
Philippa Sandall
Order:
USA
Can
The Experiment, 2026 (2026)
Hardcover, e-Book
Reviewed by Hilary Williamson
H
ere's the perfect gift for someone keen (as I am) on both language and felines -
The Colloquial Cat: How Cats Got Our Tongue in 55 Fabulous Phrases
by Philippa Sandall.
T
he 55 phrases are presented in 5 classes (each of them explained) -
Proverbial Cats
like '
A cat has nine lives
';
Etymological Cats
such as '
Catnap
';
Metaphorical Cats
as in '
Like herding cats
';
Idiomatic Cats
like '
Cat got your tongue?
'; and
One Hypothetical Cat
- '
Schrodinger's Cat
' of course!
W
hile very many of the feline phrases are familiar, I enjoyed discovering those new to me - like '
Dogs look up to you, cats look down on you, pigs is equal
' or '
In the catbird seat
' - and appreciated the depth of analysis and explanation that accompanied them. They included
Factual Cat
summaries grounding these linguistic leaps of feline fancy in reality.
E
njoy delving into
The Colloquial Cat
again and again - with a cat in your lap to help you make sense of it all, of course!
Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons.
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