Customer Reviews

English-Czech and Czech-English Dictionary

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I agree with the previous reviewer that this is much better than what has previously been available. It is the only Czech-English dictionary I've found that is written for both native Czech speakers AND native English speakers in mind. However, the praise needs to be qualified -- the competition is not every stiff. In one dictionary, I found "Mrs." translated as "mistress."

Strong points:
-lacks major mistakes in English
-includes commonly used English words (rather than archaic or obscure English words that are technically correct translations from Czech)
-notes for the user in both English and Czech
-grammar notes (including tables with adjective endings, conjugations of verbs, and noun endings)
-Czech and English abbreviations
-identifies the part of speech, irregular conjugations/ endings in the Czech side

Weak points:
-should have brief English grammar notes for Czech users (including irregular English verbs)
-should include style notes, for both languages, on formal writing structures and proper ways to address people
-missing some obvious abbreviations (like "in"=inch, FBI, USA)
-slightly favors British English in its choice of English words (though much less than any other dictionary I've seen -- it's functional for an American)
-Instructional notes don't tell English-speaking users that words with haceks come after words without them

What this dictionary offers is all of the features that decent French, Spanish, or German dictionaries have offered for years. If this were a German dictionary, I would be disappointed because of its weaknesses. Since this is a Czech dictionary, I am pleased because it is the best I have seen and none of the weaknesses inhibit its use.

I should also note that I purchased a copy in the Czech Republic for 690 Kc, or about $25, significantly cheaper than available stateside.

This book is spectacular! I was using Nine Trnka's concise 'dictionary' and this dictionary blows hers out of the water! Almost every definition has a phrase or idiom that accompanies it. The dictionary also contains a great deal of slang, for the more informal colloquial experiences in the Czech Republic. There's even a guide to Czech pronunciation, grammar tables and a guide to numbers. This book is outstanding. 5 Stars.