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Jess Zafarris

@jesszafarris.bsky.social

3.3K followers 250 following 1.9K posts

Author of USELESS ETYMOLOGY, WORDS FROM HELL, and ONCE UPON A WORD. Podcaster/cohost, Words Unravelled. Editor-at-Large, Ragan + PR Daily. Adjunct prof at Emerson. Speaker, content director, social pro, ad world wordsmith. https://linktr.ee/JessZafarris

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Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · Jul 30

Something special arrived today!

Useless Etymology will head out into the larger world on October 7th, but in the meantime here’s a little unbox and a reflection on its reason for being.

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Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 21h

I hope you derive joy and delight from its pages!

Reposted by Jess Zafarris

Jannisaries 🇨🇦 @jannisaries.bsky.social · 21h

Newly arrived from one of Bluesky's resident wordsmiths 🙂
Can't wait to dive in.

@jesszafarris.bsky.social

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Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 23h

That’s about how it’s going

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Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 23h

I’ll enjoy one long distance!

Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 23h

I need help processing this.

(Did I mention I'm talking at SXSW EDU?)

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Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 1d

Yesssss!

Reposted by Jess Zafarris

Klaatu @klaatu82.bsky.social · 1d

Also... now available in digital form on Apple Books!

The book "Useless Etymology" is now available
Book Release
Useless Etymology
USELESS ETYMOLOGY.
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
The book you pre-ordered, Useless Etymology, is now available and will automatically appear in your Apple Books library.
If you haven't enabled automatic downloads, you can download your book by opening its menu and choosing Download.

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Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 1d

*red tailed hawk screech*

a bald eagle wearing sunglasses and a yellow glove

ALT: a bald eagle wearing sunglasses and a yellow glove

media.tenor.com

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Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 1d

I picked one hell of a time to come back from my California vacation with a pic of me straddling a redwood tree

A person sitting on a burl at the base of a redwood tree

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Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 1d

Precisely!

Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 1d

I do have one of those

Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 1d

Thank you!!

Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 1d

That can be arranged

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Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 1d

Thank you!! 💙🩵💙

Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 1d

a dinosaur is standing in front of a crowd at a concert .

ALT: a dinosaur is standing in front of a crowd at a concert .

media.tenor.com

Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 1d

Listen, if the puppy didn’t convince you, consider that if you buy my book, I’ll also be able to buy more gifts for my little niece, who reports that the book tastes as good as it looks.

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Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 1d

Oh don’t mind me. Useless Etymology is just the top new release in three Amazon categories right now. 💙🩵💙

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Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 1d

Thank you so much my friend!

Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 1d

This is one heck of a reader review! Thank you @joshdobbin.bsky.social!!

Btw, if you like the book (or if you don’t) please leave a review on Goodreads or wherever you purchased it!

Josh Dobbin @joshdobbin.bsky.social · 1d

@jesszafarris.bsky.social : I am LOVING Useless Etymology. In addition to the many-cool-facts-per-page density, what must be said is that you are truly a fantastic & engaging writer. The sense of familiar, almost conspiratorial whimsy, but also authority & enthusiasm is immediate from the 1st page.

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Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 2d

And I'll also have bookplates on hand that I can sign in a pinch!

Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 2d

I'll also have bookplates on hand that I can sign in a pinch!

Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 2d

There might be some left at The Strand!

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Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 2d

There might be some left at The Strand!

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Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 2d

Heads up for anyone who might be coming to my casual launch shindig at Reilly's NYC today: Barnes & Noble has already sold through their stock, and I'll only have about 10 copies on hand, so if you have a book already and you'd like it signed, please bring it!

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Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 2d

It's related to the name Guido, which means "leader" or "guide"!

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Jess Zafarris @jesszafarris.bsky.social · 2d

I am woefully addicted to @linguisticdiscovery.com's Substack.

In it, Dr. Danny Hieber curates a wonderful and wonderfully sourced collection of linguistic news—and this week, he's also included an excerpt from my book!

Check it out and sub:

linguisticdiscovery.substack.com/p/useless-et...

What’s in a name?: Eponymous etymology

A sneak peek at Jess Zafarris’ new book, “Useless etymology: Word origins for curious minds”

linguisticdiscovery.substack.com

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