Amazon.com Review
Born of Jon R. Stone's quest to deal productively with his own ignorance of Latin, Latin for the Illiterati is a superb Latin phrase dictionary that fills an important reference niche. Stone's compendium of nearly 6,000 Latin words, phrases, and abbreviations takes the onus off reading erudite texts, reduces one's fear of appearing stupid, and reintroduces the joy of thousands of well-turned phrases. Organized alphabetically within the categories of verbi (common words and expressions), dicti (common phrases and familiar sayings), and abbreviations, the dictionary offers instant Latin phrase translation gratification. Also, the English-Latin index increases the usefulness and versatility tremendously, since it enables you to find the Latin you want for your own pithy purposes, allowing you to insert impressive bon mots willy nilly. When you want to make a statement of strength, writing "invictus maneo" has it all over "I remain unconquered." And if your audience doesn't understand, well let them get Stone's guide to Latin and join the literate world. --Stephanie Gold
From Library Journal
Stone (A Guide to the End of the World, Garland, 1993) has penned one of those rare reference resources that is both highly affordable and highly useful. The first two sections provide translations of common Latin words, expressions, phrases, and sayings (many from Virgil, the Bible, Horace, and St. Aquinas) along with their more commonly held meanings (e.g., "ibid: in the same place [in a book]"). While many resources supply similar information, most notably C.O. Mawson's Dictionary of Foreign Terms (1979) and the Oxford Latin Dictionary (Clarendon, 1994), few sources also include such a range of sayings and phrases, in this case well over 5000. In addition, the last section of Stone's work is a real boon to reference librarians. Showing that verba volant, scripta manent ("spoken words fly away, written ones remain"), Stone includes a listing of common abbreviations and their meanings (e.g., "a.m., ante meridiem: before noon"), the calendar year, the calendar month, the days of the week, the seven hills of Rome, an English-Latin index, a pronunciation guide, and Roman numerals up to MM (2000). This handy little reference work should be a welcome addition to all types of libraries. Highly recommended.?Neal Wyatt, Chesterfield Cty. P.L., Va.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Review
It will be useful to the common reader and lawyers, philosophers, medical doctors, etc. whose knowledge of Latin is no longer what it used to be! -- The Journal of Ind o-European Studies
It will be useful to the common reader and lawyers, philosophers, medical doctors, etc. whose knowledge of Latin is no longer what it used to be! -- The Journal of Indo- European Studies
If you're a student trying to improve your vocabulary, this is a great book. If you're a law student trying to figure out what phrases meant before they meant what they mean, this is a great book. For those who have forgotten the three years of parochial-school Latin, this is a really great book. -- Publisher's Weekly
Stone...has penned one of those rare reference works that is both highly affordable and highly useful...While many resources supply similar information...few sources also include such a range of sayings and phrases, in this case well over 5,000. In addition, the last section of Stone's work isa real boon to reference librarians...Highly recommended. -- Library Journal
Latin for the Illiterati will be the terminus ad quem (i.e. finishing point) for many a question about the terra incognita (i.e. unknown land) that even common Latin expressions are to many people today. [The book], of course, delves more deeply into the Latin lexicon than a polyglot source...and therein lies it value. Bene! -- Rettig on Reference
Outstanding reference source. -- ALA/RUSA Reference Sources Committee Stone has compiled a helpful and practical reference guide aimed at those of us for whom Latin is terra incognita...[the book] is a ready reference dream come true.
Stone has compiled a helpful and practical reference guide aimed at those of us for whom Latin is terra incognita...[the book] is a ready reference dream come true. -- American Libraries
About the Author
Jon R. Stone is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Center for the Study of Religion and Lecturer in the English Writing Program at the University of California at Santa Barbara. He is the author of A Guide to the End of the World: Popular Eschatology in America (1993).
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