Klein's Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language - Hardcover

Klein, Ernest

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0444409300 ISBN 13: 9780444409300

Publisher: Elsevier Publishing Company, 1971

Synopsis

Although during the last sixty years philology has attained a high degree of development, looking at the literature available, Etymology appears only to have reached the level of philology at the turn of the century. This dictionary is the first major work of its kind in the 20th century, and as such, embodies the findings of modern philological scholarship. For example, full reference is made to Tocharian, the extinct language rediscovered at the end of the Nineteenth Century which often provides the key to the important transition form between the Old-Indian and the Indo-European group of languages to which English belongs. Several hundred words previously defined as being "of unknown etymology" are fully analyzed.The etymology of words of Semitic origin in the English language is given, the transliteration of Semitic words is based on a concept which renders exactly every consonant, vowel and diacritical sign. Hybrids are not only referred to, but in many cases a new, correctly formed word is suggested. Special attention is paid to loan translations (important elements in the cultural interrelationship between the nations) especially in regard to their passage from one language to another. The dictionary also provides the etymologies of proper and mythological names. Exhaustive cross-referencing, allows the reader to trace all words derived from one and the same base.

About this title

Review

Aside from its outstanding value and importance to students of linguistics, Dr. Klein's work is a source of fascinating reading and browsing to anyone with an interest in language.
The American Translators Association Chronicle --The American Translators Association Chronicle

Edition details

• Publisher: Elsevier Publishing Company
• Publication date: 1971
• ISBN 10: 0444409300
• ISBN 13: 9780444409300
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 844