The University of Chicago Spanish Dictionary, Fifth Edition, Spanish-English, English-Spanish: Universidad de Chicago Diccionario Espanol-Ingles, Ingles-Espanol [Paperback]

David Pharies (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0226666891 | ISBN-13: 978-0226666891 | Publication Date: September 1, 2002 | Edition: 1

The University of Chicago Spanish Dictionary is the most popular dictionary of its kind. Its familiar name is known to millions of general readers, students, educators, and travelers. Improved for greater ease of use, and brought completely up to date, the fifth edition of The University of Chicago Spanish Dictionary is now more than ever the perfect resource for both language learners and experienced language users.

With thousands of added entries, the Dictionary builds on the features that have made it the leader in its field for more than fifty years: authority, scope, clarity, and conciseness. And with this edition, the Dictionary brilliantly captures the current core vocabularies of two rapidly changing—and increasingly connected—languages and cultures.

Entirely bilingual, the fifth edition focuses on two contemporary international languages—American English and a basic, worldwide Spanish that draws from both Latin American and Iberian sources.

Designed for a wide range of users, including travelers, businesspeople, students, teachers, and professionals, the new Dictionary is the essential first resource for speakers of both languages—from beginners to those at all other stages. Up to date, just comprehensive enough, and extraordinarily clear and easy to use, the new edition of The University of Chicago Spanish Dictionary stands alone. No other dictionary offers so many users so much help—or so much value.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

It's no secret that the Latinization of America is proceeding at a quick pace, so it follows that one of the more important reference books for the new century would be a Spanish-English dictionary. The University of Chicago Press has a history of publishing foreign-language textbooks dating back to the 1920s, and their Spanish-English dictionary has always been well regarded. Lacking the European air of a Larousse or a Langenscheidt, this new edition (the first in 15 years) stresses the malleability of both the American version of English and the Latin American version of Spanish. Besides the obligatory concise descriptions of grammar and verb conjugation, this edition includes new "context cues," which distinguish layers of meaning. For example, "soft" can be used to describe both butter and skin in English, whereas in Spanish, soft butter is blando, and soft skin is suave. Editor Pharies, a professor of Spanish at the University of Florida, also includes an array of jargon for the high-tech world (e.g., en linea for "online"), proving that Latin America is not yet succumbing to vulgar Spanglishisms. While the task of cataloguing regionalisms across Latin America is daunting, this dictionary does capture much of its slang, and even sometimes off-color usage, making the book as warm as its easygoing typeface.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From the Inside Flap

The University of Chicago Spanish Dictionary is the most popular dictionary of its kind. Its familiar name is known to millions of general readers, students, educators, and travelers. Improved for greater ease of use, and brought completely up to date, the fifth edition of The University of Chicago Spanish Dictionary is now more than ever the perfect resource for both language learners and experienced language users.

With thousands of added entries, the Dictionary builds on the features that have made it the leader in its field for more than fifty years: authority, scope, clarity, and conciseness. And with this edition, the Dictionary brilliantly captures the current core vocabularies of two rapidly changing—and increasingly connected—languages and cultures.

This new edition features

* New words and meanings for a new age

* Greater help in finding the right words

* Enhanced language and grammar guides

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 608 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press; 1 edition (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226666891
• ISBN-13: 978-0226666891
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #100,810 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #4 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Geography

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely THE Best Spanish Dictionary Out There, March 8, 2004

By 

Jesse James "Fan of high quality music" (La Mesa, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The University of Chicago Spanish Dictionary, Fifth Edition, Spanish-English, English-Spanish: Universidad de Chicago Diccionario Espanol-Ingles, Ingles-Espanol (Paperback)

I have looked hard and long at many different Spanish dictionaries to find the best one. I had never been fully satisfied with any previous dictionary -- until now. This new edition is by far the best, most useful, and easiest to use Spanish dictionary ever. There are several important reasons why I say this.

First, right after each Spanish word, it has an easy to read and simple abbreviation in upper case letters to describe the word either as an adjective (ADJ), adverb (ADV), masculine noun (M), femminine noun (F), transitive verb (VT), intransitive verb (VI), etc. This is also done with the English side, with the exception of using N (not M or F) to describe the noun.

Second, if a word has multiple meanings, which most do, it gives an example of each usage in parenthesis, and then the correct word to use. Here is an example for the word "check":
(stop) refrenar; (restrain) reprimir; (hand over luggage) facturar; (hand over coat) dejar; (verify) verificar; Am chequear; (in chess) dar jaque

Third, you may have noticed in the above example the "Am", which in the book is actually italicized. This refers to the (Latin) American usage of the word chequear. Contrary to the first reviewer, this dictionary does have regional usages, including those for (Latin) America, Spain, Mexico, and Rio de la Plata.

Fourth, and maybe the most helpful, and useful aspect, are the multiple idiomatic usages of each word which are included at the end of each word entry. (I should note that each listed word in the dictionary, and the idiomatic phrases are in bold face, which makes things even easier). Here are the ones for the word "cheap" (I added the / mark, which is not in the book):
life is -- there /la vida no vale nada alli; talk is -- /hablar no cuesta nada; to feel -- /sentirse despreciable; -- shot/ golpe bajo; --skate/ tacaño -ña

Fifth, are the many new words used today in both English and Spanish involving technology, pop culture, medicine, science, and other modern usages. Also, many common vulgar terms and idioms are included, which are marked by the abbreviations "pej" for pejorative and "vulg" for vulgar.

For all those who have never been fully satisfied with the Spanish dictionaries they own, or who are looking for the best one to buy, this is MUST HAVE!!!

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars faded glory, July 21, 2005

By 

R. M. Biddle (Tijuana BC México) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The University of Chicago Spanish Dictionary, Fifth Edition, Spanish-English, English-Spanish: Universidad de Chicago Diccionario Espanol-Ingles, Ingles-Espanol (Paperback)

The Chicago dictionary and I have been together ever since its third edition, which was the best of its day. The fourth edition set a standard that I have not seen equalled. The fifth edition is a great disappointment, a wastrel son that has squandered the intellectual capital bequeathed him by his forebears.

Gone are all the fine distinctions that make a language not simply intelligible but meaningful. Gone are the phonology and history of the language that gave structure to our understanding. Gone are the regional precisions that, in this day of continent-wide cable TV emanating from Buenos Aires, Caracas, Mexico City, Miami, and Los Angeles, become ever more important.

On the bright side, the fifth edition's typography, while cramped, is easier to read.

But I can recommend the Chicago no longer. The fifth is decidedly for the short-attention-span crowd. If you don't want a dictionary written for elementary students, either get the fourth edition or look to a different publisher.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not so good, July 7, 2005

By 

Newboy - See all my reviews

This review is from: The University of Chicago Spanish Dictionary, Fifth Edition, Spanish-English, English-Spanish: Universidad de Chicago Diccionario Espanol-Ingles, Ingles-Espanol (Paperback)

Let's try it out, on today's news stories:

El Pais: "Al Qaeda REIVINDICA los ataques [de 7 de julio a Londres]
REIVINDICAR, according to U of C Spanish Dictionary, means
"vindicate". Maybe we should try Oxford's gloss: "demand", "restore", "CLAIM RESPONSIBILITY FOR (atentado)".

El Pais: "La trascendencia de este proceso es evidente, ya que es el primero que se ha celebrado en España contra presuntos terroristas islamistas ..."
TRASCENDENCIA, according to U of C S D means "transcendence". You think so? Try "significance" or "importance", which is what the Oxford Spanish Dictionary says it means.

And you can multiply examples of this kind of business. A high school Spanish student would get marked down, flunked maybe, for guessing at words like this. I used the Oxford Spanish Dictionary for comparison, but you can do better than the University of Chicago Spanish Dictionary without going so far.

Check out the other reviewers. This book is the only one they've reviewed. Shills, I'd say. Probably the grad students who did the leg work.