English-Lao/Lao-English Dictionary (Revised Edition) (Paperback)

by Russell Marcus (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This helpful dictionary includes romanized equivalents of Lao words and provides tone numbers indicating the tone of each syllable.

Language Notes
Text: English, Lao

Product Details

• Paperback: 424 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing; Revised edition (May 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804809097
• ISBN-13: 978-0804809092
• Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 4.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #363,854 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A poor dictionary with inadequate coverage, and many errors., January 21, 1999

By A Customer

This little book is the only widely available Lao-English and English-Lao dictionary. It is therefore unfortunate that it is also one of the least useful. Selection of words is frustratingly poor - both in terms of the limited number of words listed, and more importantly in the choice of words listed. Many of the most essential words (both Lao and English) have been omitted, while the dictionary contains a great many words of questionable significance. Trying to use the English-Lao section is particularly difficult because the choice of English source word used is generally inappropriate and it is rarely possible to find a Lao equivalent without elaborate second-guessing of the English entry to look under. Errors abound, especially in the Lao spellings.

The author appears to have been greatly influenced by the early period of the communist regime (i.e. the late 1970's) when many traditional spellings were changed in accordance with the whims of communist cadre Phoumi Vongvichit, who sabotaged much of the Lao language when the communist regime came to power; fortunately many of the more important changes in spelling have been reinstated since then. Russell's spellings therefore conform neither to current communist speilling in use in Laos today, not to traditional Lao spellings.

I wish I could recommend a satisfactory alternative in a similar (pocket) class - but there is none. For the serious student of Lao there is only one English-Lao dictionary to consider (by Soukbandith, published in the USA) and one Lao-English dictionary (by Allen Kerr, published in Bangkok by White Lotus). Both of these are fairly comprehensive (and therefore in a different class from the Russell dictionary), but the Soukbandith is printed in small print and is not more than twice the physical size of the Russell - it is perfectly viable to carry around, and about 50 times more useful than the Russell. The Kerr, although the best Lao-English dictionary, has a very heavy Thai slant on the language and is also rather dated; it is a large tome not suitable for carrying about. There is also a half-passable Lao-Lao dictionary available from the government printing press in Vientiane, which can be useful for cross-checking despite its serious typological confusion and disordered pages.

The Lonely Planet Lao phrasebook is hardly a volume I could recommend, as it is full of errors and like the Russell (and like most phrasebooks) inadequate content; however I suspect that in practice it may be less useless than the Russell in practice. Sadly, when it comes to Lao dictionaries there is just not enough available.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fun to read, October 14, 2000

By A Customer

although i agree with the criticisms of the other reviewer, i found this dictionary easy to use and quite entertaining! for example - the author, in translating the word "dish" from english to lao, offers "beautiful girl" as one definition; and that is just hilarious!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fun to read, October 14, 2000

By A Customer

although i agree with the criticisms of the other reviewer, i found this dictionary easy to use and quite entertaining! for example - the author, in translating the word "dish" from english to lao, offers as one definition as "beautiful girl." that is just hilarious!