Dictionary of German Synonyms [Paperback]

R. B. Farrell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 29, 1977 | ISBN-10: 0521290686 | ISBN-13: 978-0521290685 | Edition: 3

The English-speaking student translating into German frequently finds it difficult to choose from an English-German dictionary the German word which is correct in a given context, since distinctions are not made there between the German synonyms, nor is their usage illustrated. This reference work, now in its third edition, has been and will continue to be an invaluable source of help to the student. Professor Farrell always takes common English terms - whether concrete or abstract - as his starting point and lists them alphabetically, often in groups of similar meanings and often with their standard dictionary definitions. German synonyms are then given for each different meaning, accompanied by their definitions and numerous pithy sentences illustrating their usage. Explanatory footnotes complement textual comments on individual difficulties. The two word lists of English and German words included in the Dictionary enable the reader to turn easily to the particular word or words he is interested in. For the third edition of the Dictionary, the text has been thoroughly revised and misprints and errors have been corrected: where space permitted, attempts have also been made to improve example sentences and explanations. Professor Farrell has added, as an appendix, his commentary on certain German words which frequently pose problems, either because their meaning is not readily understood or because they have no exact equivalent in English.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'In the opinion of this user, English-speaking Germanists are greatly in Professor Farell's debt for this amply documented and thoughtful work ...' German Life & Letters

'Farrell's Dictionary succeeds admirably ...' German Quarterly

'Since the first edition appeared this book has been regarded by English-speaking learners as an essential aid.' The Year's Work in Modern Language Studies

Language Notes

Text: English, German --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 428 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 3 edition (April 29, 1977)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521290686
• ISBN-13: 978-0521290685
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.9 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #123,040 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #31 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Foreign Language > German
  • #79 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > German > Instruction

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book for any serious student of German., September 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Dictionary of German Synonyms (Paperback)

Detailed but very clear explanations describe to the nonnative speaker the subtleties of German synonyms (e.g., "schlecht" vs. "schlimm" vs. "böse"; "erinnern" vs. "gedenken" etc.). Each description includes at least one or two carefully chosen examples. The length of entries varies: INTERESTED IN is handled neatly in one paragraph, while MAY extends to four pages. Throughout the book, the reader is given helpful hints on the pitfalls of translating from English to German. ("If you wish to say [English] x, then it must be translated with German y, and not z.") Its design is simple: German synonyms are listed under English headwords. If you wish to find the difference between "Tatsache" and "Angabe", for example, you would look under the headword FACT, where the former is in paragraph number two, and the latter in number three. (My one [small] complaint is that the indexes of words treated is at the back of the book, when it might make it a bit easier for the reader to have them at the front.) Each synonym is usually given its own paragraph, though sometimes synonyms that are very close in meaning will be treated together. English headwords are printed in bold and in capital letters, while German equivalents are in bold with normal capitalization; terms are thus very easy to find and distinguish from one another. Though intended for serious endeavors by the advanced or semi-advanced student of German, Farrell's is one of those rare dictionaries that is fun to flip through even at one's leisure.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A classic work, still great even if made obsolete by more recent work, December 29, 2007

By 

Thomas B. Gross (Winchester, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Dictionary of German Synonyms (Paperback)

Recently in my German conversation class I remarked something to the effect that every time I make a presentation to a large group I am thankful that "am mindestens ist es auf Englisch" that is, "at least it's in English," my native tongue. My instructor, a native speaker of German, instinctively corrected my use of the term "am mindestens," saying that I should have said "am wenigstens ist es auf Englisch," but when asked, she realized that although she was sure "am wenigstens" would be correct, she couldn't really explain why.

I naturally turned my old reliable "Dictonary of German Synonyms", one of my favorite language books, for clarification. The distinction is apparently that "am mindestens" should be used primarily with precise numerical amounts, such as for example "I drank at least 2 liters of Gluhwein last night." I say "apparently" because the explanation in Farrell's book is actually a bit cryptic.

Much more clear is the more recent and larger (and more expensive) "A Practical Dictionary of German Usage" by K.B. Beaton. The two books are extremely similar. Farrell was a Professor of German at the University of Sydney and his book was published by Cambridge University Press. Beaton was a Senior Lecturer in German Studies at the University of Sydney and his book is published by Oxford University Press. Why the University of Sydney would be the center of English language research in German synonyms is a curiosity, but if not Sydney, Australia, where should they be studied?

Beaton acknowledges Farrell's pioneering work in the field but clearly believes it was already out of date by the 1960s. If you can only afford one book, I suppose I would recommend the more expensive Beaton, but despite the similarities I still find Farrell's older work more readable. If nothing else, Farrell's book is less unwieldy and easier to read for pleasure.