World Dictionary of Foreign Expressions: A Resource for Readers and Writers

A unique and indispensable reference for lovers of language.

Each entry
-identifies the language of origin and gives a polished translation
-provides a literal, word-by-word explication of each entry, which
-lets the reader know as exactly as possible what the phrase means

Additional features
-quotations from recent scholarship or journalism to model proper usage
-easy to follow format that's gentle on the eye

Also available:

An Introduction to Greek - ISBN 0865165548
Smith's English-Latin Dictionary - ISBN 0865164916

For over 30 years Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers has produced the highest quality Latin and ancient Greek books. From Dr. Seuss books in Latin to Plato's Apology, Bolchazy-Carducci's titles help readers learn about ancient Rome and Greece; the Latin and ancient Greek languages are alive and well with titles like Cicero's De Amicitia and Kaegi's Greek Grammar. We also feature a line of contemporary eastern European and WWII books.

Some of the areas we publish in include:

Selections From The Aeneid
Latin Grammar & Pronunciation
Greek Grammar & Pronunciation
Texts Supporting Wheelock's Latin
Classical author workbooks: Vergil, Ovid, Horace, Catullus, Cicero
Vocabulary Cards For AP Selections: Vergil, Ovid, Catullus, Horace
Greek Mythology
Greek Lexicon
Slovak Culture And History

Stone follows up his Latin for the Illiterati (LJ 12/96) with this new dictionary, structured around the subtitle's three areas: medicine, law, and religion. Translations are brief and literal. The dictionary concludes with some of the same information given in Latin for the Illiterati as well as newer miscellaneous information, including Latin selections (with English translations) from the Roman Catholic liturgy. The dictionary ends with an English-Latin index. The major drawback is the arrangement by topicAthe three different topic areas must be checked if the user doesn't know whether the word or phrase is medical, legal, or religious (there is no Latin index). On the positive side, this dictionary contains many terms not found in other recent Latin-English dictionaries, such as James Morwood's A Dictionary of Latin Words and Phrases (Oxford Univ., 1998). Adeleye's World Dictionary of Foreign Expressions provides translations from over 20 languages, making it an excellent resource for general users. Each definition indicates part of speech, language of origin, plural forms, and literal translation (including the literal translation of each word in a phrase). Also included are lengthier, connotative definitions, examples of use in sentences, and, when appropriate, cross references to other terms. Adeleye's dictionary is recommended for all public and academic libraries; Stone's is for libraries needing a more specialized resource.ACynthia A. Johnson, Barnard Coll. Lib., New York
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Many words and phrases from other languages find their way into English. This is especially true in professional jargons. Literary, historical, and religious writings also contain expressions from other languages. Readers who are unfamiliar with these words need a source for translations.

This dictionary is a compilation of two separate projects undertaken by the authors: a dictionary of Latin terms for lawyers and a more general dictionary of terms from other languages for readers. It contains words and phrases from more than 20 languages, with an emphasis on Latin legal terms. There are abbreviations, single words, and phrases pertaining to history, literature, the arts, and, to a lesser degree, the sciences. Each alphabetical entry contains the term, its designation (noun, adjective, etc.), language, and translation. The translation includes a word-by-word explication as well as a finished version. Many entries also include sentences or phrases that illustrate usage.

Although the word-by-word explication of phrases is a unique feature, it is not necessarily useful. Unless a reader is familiar with the grammar of the language in question, the very literal translation involved here will not make sense. Making the leap from this crude rendering to the polished version is not easy because there is no explanation of the grammar rules. Some of the examples provided indicate less than thorough knowledge of idiomatic English. The French phrase au naturel is defined as "in the natural state. Nude. Naked." It is also defined as "done, performed, accomplished, etc. in a natural manner." The example for this definition is "James is a very pleasant man, and one of his assets is his au naturel behavior." Some of the transliterations and translations of Hebrew and Yiddish words are not accurate. Tzittzit, the knotted fringes on Jewish prayer shawls, are entered as zizith. A cross-reference from the first spelling would make the word easier to find. The Yiddish word yahrzeit is correctly translated as the anniversary of a death, but the added statement that it marks the end of the official mourning period is misleading because the date is observed annually. The terms schlemiel and schlimazel have almost identical definitions, although there are subtle differences. Schlemiel is clumsy, inept, and unlucky, while schlimazel is perpetually out of luck.

There are other dictionaries of foreign terms with more useful features. The Oxford Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases [RBB Ap 1 98] has 8,000 words and phrases from more than 40 languages. It includes pronunciation and has an index by language, which helps users locate specific expressions. The Harper Dictionary of Foreign Terms (3d ed., Harper, 1987) contains 15,000 expressions from more than 50 languages, with an English-language index. Either of these is better for general readers. The World Dictionary is most suitable for users who need translations of legal terms that they cannot find in Black's Law Dictionary.

Reference Books in Brief

The following is a list of additional recent and recommended reference sources.