Customer Reviews

McGraw-Hill Diccionario del Argot : El Sohez

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

 

 

Let's start with what I like about this book. The author's scholarship is first-rate. It is obvious she did extensive and exhaustive research, and as a result, citations abound in this dictionary. In terms of its treatment of slang, "Diccionario del Argot" reminds me a bit of the English book "Expletive Deleted". I would challenge anyone to find a more authoritative reference work on Spanish slang.

The last two words of the preceding sentence lead me to my major beef with this book. I should have read the publisher's book description more carefully. If I had, I would have noticed that "Diccionario del Argot" is a guide to contemporary usage "in Spain." Despite the author's praiseworthy effort and intent, I have noticed a glaring lack of Latin American slang in this book. According to the preface, the dictionary contains words from both sides of the Atlantic. That may be true, but I generally see a distinct slant toward the Iberian Peninsula.

Here's a case in point. I have consulted several dictionaries of Spanish slang in search of a detailed explanation of the word 'carteluo.' As best as I can tell, the word's usage is limited to Venezuela. Michael Mahler's "Dictionary of Spanish Slang and Colloquial Expressions" is the only one I've found that even lists this word, but the definition provides scant information. I was encouraged when I saw the thorough treatment of words in "Diccionario del Argot", and I was that much more disappointed not to find 'carteluo' among its entries.

All the previous reviewers gave this book five stars, but for me personally, its usefulness thus far merits only three stars. Perhaps in the future it will become a more valuable reference book. On a more positive note, kudos to Delfin Carbonell Basset for having the persistence to see her magnum opus through to the end. Also, her dedication of the dictionary to the late Camilo Jose Cela, Spanish novelist and Nobel laureate, inspired me to explore Cela's works. She has my thanks for that.

This is a new release by McGraw-Hill and is a very handy resource that offers a wealth of definitions and clarification of usage of everyday colloquialisms, slang, vulgarity and their meaning. When I saw the book in the store I was a bit hesitant to purchase it because of the price but I quickly realized that the price was incomparable to wealth of information offered. It's obvious that there was a considerable amount of time and research spent in order to produce this handy tool and I do believe it would most benefit those who are natives of Spanish, advanced students, professionals, journalists, translators, interpreters and writers. This dictionary would be overwhelming for a beginner as it is written in Spanish and the vocabulary used in the definitions and examples is advanced at times. The only flaw in this reference is does not give the country or countries where a typical expression may be used which I think is very valuable because what may be a friendly word or expression in one country may be totally offensive in another. Here are some examples of expressions detailed in this dictionary:

1.chochete- mujer joven (a young woman). This was new to me. I would say "jovencita" or "doncella".

2.en cuerpo y alma- plenamente, completamente (completely) This is an everyday expression in the Spanish language.

3.mala leche - mala suerte (bad luck) (Everyday expression).

4.curichi- avaro, tacano (greedy)

5.meter la gamba - equivocarse (to make a mistake) I would say "meter la pata".

These are just some examples I selected at random and #4 , # 5 are new to me. I know the generic expressions but not the slang, which is valuable, and somewhere down the road I may come across these expressions. As mentioned above this resource is priceless and it will broaden your scope and understanding of everyday Spanish and aid you with correct usage.This is money well spent!

A very useful tool for students of Spanish and for those who want or need a scholarly treatment of Spanish everyday language or slang. The real quotations are just great and very helpful. I recommend it. I am glad I bought it.

I am a journalist living in NY, and I was researching vulgar speak in the Hispanic community. This is simply great. A wonderful tool.

I found this dictionary so good, interesting and fun! Anyone learning spanish should get this book. And anyone who already speaks it fluently should too!

I bought this book because I was very interested in slang in the Spanish language. I am a writer, and a student of Spanish. This book is a must for anyone and everyone who uses dictionaries.