Synopses & Reviews
Covering over 8,000 foreign words and phrases that are in regular use in English today, this updated and revised edition is a superb reference for anyone seeking a user-friendly guide to often complicated foreign terms and sayings. Readers will find clear definitions of words--such as "fandango," "bistro," and "nouvelle cuisine"--and many other words found in everyday speech, as well as in musical direction, the arts, food, medicine, science, literature, and belles-lettres. As one would expect in a language as global as English, the Dictionary draws words from a wide array of languages including Afrikaans, Greek, Hebrew, Hindustani, Russian, and Turkish. The entries are authoritative yet accessible, with detailed information on each word or phrase, including any alternative spellings, the date of the word's introduction into English, its language of origin and original spelling, its definition, and notes on usage and other points of interest.
Synopsis
Containing over 8,000 entries, this fascinating dictionary is the authoritative guide to foreign words and phrases used in contemporary British and American English. Drawn from over 40 languages, entries provide details of the history of each word or phrase, including language of origin, spelling variants, and its sense and use in English. From expressions such as ab origine, a cappella, and nouvelle cuisine, to futon, pot-pourri, and tamagotchi, this is the ideal reference book for anyone wanting to tap into the wider resources of modern English.
About the Author
Jennifer Speake is a freelance writer and editor of reference books, including
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (with John Simpson, 3rd edition, 1998) and
The Oxford Dictionary of Idioms (1999).
Table of Contents
Preface
Pronounciation guide
Dictionary
Appendix