The Oxford Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases (Oxford Paperback Reference) [Paperback]

Jennifer Speake (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 9, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0192801120 | ISBN-13: 978-0192801128

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.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

There are a number of foreign word and phrase dictionaries on the market, but Oxford's was compiled to keep up with the times. The contents are limited, for the most part, to words and phrases regularly encountered in 20th-century British and American English. On one page you'll find a worldly mix of "id ul-fitr" (Arabic, festival celebrating the end of the Ramadan fast), "ignoramus" (Latin, "we do not know"), "ikat" (Malay, an Indonesian decorative weave), "ikebana" (Japanese, the art of Japanese flower arrangement), and "illuminé" (French, the enlightened). From "aa" (Hawaiian, rough lava) to "Zwischenzug" (German, a determining chess move), there are 8,000 words and phrases from more than 40 languages to expand one's comprehension and broaden one's vocabulary. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Drawing 8,000 words and phrases from more than 40 languages, this new Oxford dictionary defines just about any word or phrase that has made its way into English. English has steadily absorbed foreign words, and through the nineteenth century, French and Latin have dominated the imports. The twentieth century opened English to words on a worldwide basis, many of which reflect an increasingly eclectic lifestyle, having to do with fashion, cuisine, and recreation. This dictionary "records the influx of words from a variety of other languages into both American and British English." Words that have been introduced in the twentieth century are emphasized.

Entries range from common words that seem to be completely absorbed (condominium, massage, polka) to the clearly foreign but not uncommon (bon vivant, ikebana). Others, such as pakapoo a word that is used chiefly in Australia and refers to a Chinese form of lottery--will seem exotic indeed, especially to American readers. It is hard to see how some entries meet the criterion of being words encountered in nonspecialist literature: "tokamak: a toroidal apparatus for producing controlled fusion. . . ."

Definitions are exhaustive. Changes in meaning are traced over time. Origins are succinctly yet thoroughly explored. Halva entered English from Yiddish, but Arabic and Persian supplied the source for equivalent terms in Hebrew, Greek, and Turkish. All are listed in the entry.

Separate entries are sometimes provided for plurals or other parts of speech. Spelling variants are given, sometimes as separate entries. The pronunciation guide follows the International Phonetic Alphabet system (IPA) and Southern English pronunciation. Dates are given in abbreviated form (OE for Old English, pre-1149); a table is provided in the preface. A useful appendix lists entries by country of origin and century of introduction, providing a quick grasp of the magnitude of these imports and a good overview of terms and their origins. French still predominates with more than 2,800 entries; only one word comes to us from Thai.

Entries are in boldface, followed by pronunciation, part of speech, variant spellings, date, language of origin, definition, and different meanings by date or part of speech. Miscellaneous usage and historical notes are given in bulleted paragraphs, with an occasional quotation (with date) containing the word in context. Words in small caps indicate cross-references.

The Harper Dictionary of Foreign Terms (Harper, 3d ed., 1987) has 15,000 words and phrases, usually identified and discussed in one or two lines, with no pronunciations. This new Oxford dictionary is a scholarly work, thorough, up to date, and wide-ranging. It is also excellent for general use--readers will find what they want, and more. An excellent resource for most types of libraries. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 526 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (November 9, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0192801120
• ISBN-13: 978-0192801128
• Product Dimensions: 7.2 x 5.7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,929,606 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Help, July 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Oxford Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases (Hardcover)

If you find yourself skipping words and phrases in articles and books that you sense everyone but you understands this is an excellent addition to your dictionary collection. After checking a number of similar reference books at the library I chose this one because it tells a little history of word/phrase usage in addition to just a translation, this allows you to put it into better context.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When English is not just English, August 26, 2006

By 

J. Cameron-Smith "Expect the Unexpected" (ACT, Australia) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Oxford Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases (Hardcover)

This book is an ideal reference for those of us who need to make sense of the foreign (non English) words and phrases encountered in English.

Examples include chaebol (Korean: a large business conglomerate); nebbish (Yiddish: a nobody); cum laude (Latin: with praise) and gung-ho (Chinese: work together).

Each of these words has been adopted within English with similar - but not always identical - meanings.

There are some 8000 examples of words and phrases from over 40 languages in this book.

Recommended for those who are interested in seeing practical examples of how English evolves to encompass offerings from other languages.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The one to Own, March 25, 2008

By 

Herbert L Calhoun "paulocal" (Falls Church, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Oxford Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases (Oxford Paperback Reference) (Paperback)

Although not arranged by countries of word orgin, as is true of smaller dictionaries such as Le Mot Juste, this is a full-fledge dictionary of foreign words, that goes well beyond just cognates and borrowed words across national boundaries.

It also gives some entomological information and pronunciation diphthongs as well as occasional synonyms and cognates.

The best of a good lot. Five Stars.