Dictionary Reviews

Dr. Klein's work is indeed the product of a real scholar and is a most useful etymology. The book is well-bound (signature-sewn) with a bonded-leather hardcover. The entries are incisive and many provide information not found in other such tomes.

However, I feel that the price is very, very steep compared to such top-rate etymologies as Chambers, etc.

The book is definitely worthwhile to own, if you can stretch your book-buying budget enough (mine cried "ouch", but I bought it anyway). Well, we are on this earth only once, I suppose. =)

About 30 years ago I visited the late Dr Klein at his Synagogue in Toronto where he translated some historical documents for me. I was very impressed by his ability to identify and interpret the nuances of meaning within the historical context, and also of his profound understanding of linguistics. Dr Klein possessed a quiet unassuming brilliance that shines through on every page of this dictionary. This Dictionary is an exhaustive and detailed etymology, with scholarship unrivalled in English. Consider Dr. Klein's potential competitors for best English language etymology: IMHO, they are Barnhardt's Etymology (aka the new Chalmers D of E), Onion's Oxford Etymology, Weekley's Concise and a number of engaging shorter etymologies by Room, Hendrickson, Ayto and Morris. Each of the competing etymologies approaches the task of creating a concise English language etymology from very different perspectives. So, as a consumer searching for the best work you should first consider what specific etymological requirements you have. (For example, the Barnhardt/Chalmers is unsurpassed with its treatment of American English. In contrast, the Onion Oxford extracts etymology from the OED and provides a chronology of development whereas Morris and Ayto provide considerably smaller though more approachable word list, etc). NOW, if you are wondering what makes KLEIN's etymology the best for all purposes, here's my take. First, consider Dr Klein's perspective. He states that he is dealing "with the origin of words and their sense development thus illustrating the history of civilization and culture". A lofty vision that Klein achieves with ease. Second, Klein's work exhibits the absolute highest level of scholarship and academic focus. Third, his dictionary provides a comprehensive history of the evolution of over 55,000 words, thereby making it the most exhaustive English language etymology available. Fourth, each word is fully developed from their root in the Proto-Indo European hypothetical language (or Tocharian, Semitic, and other sui genris sources) to current modern English usage. Fifth, to the best of my knowledge, Dr Klein's work is the only comprehensive etymology that analyzes common first names, biblical and mythological characters, angels, saints and demons, and place names. Finally, Klein's work also provides thousands of medical, legal and scientific terms, as well as all roots and stems used to create compound English words. Though this is an expensive book, the 7th impression (released in 2000) is beautifully and solidly bound, with legible though small type, and printed on high quality acid free paper. If you plan on buying only one etymology, then this is definitely the one to get - I haven't used any of my others since this arrived a couple months ago.

Extremely well researched etymology, probably the best available still today.

Thanks Amazon-team for good job!
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Clearly, it is the unique Comprehensive technical Russian-English dictionary on a science and engineering, in which one I find all words, required to me, with correct translations. A thank to the ETS Publishing House from Moscow. I have written to them the letter with thanks. And it is simply incredible - has received the instant answer. They asked on what subjects I made translations. I answered. And instantly has received the comprehensive information on novelties of the Russian dictionaries, and also recommendation for book-dictionaries and electronic dictionaries and links to free demos. I have purchased the book from ETS Publishers the English Russian Dictionary of Computer Science (Computers, Multimedia, Networks, Internet, Telecommunications, Windows). Too very modern and comprehensive dictionary. Also I have purchased to myself the Large Polytechnic dictionary Polyglossum on CD. Also I value the electronic dictionary's quality too highly. My productivity of work was increased at approximately 15 - 20 percents at the expense of fast search in this electronic dictionary. Volume of this dictionary impresses - MORE ONE MILLION SEARCH WORDS. A thank to a support service of ETS Publishing House - very benevolent people and highest professionals! I plan to purchase other production of this Publishing House. Earlier I was careful to purchase the goods from Russia. But now my judgment was changed.

It is the really newest and largest Russian-English polytechnic dictionary. I have purchased the dictionary in Moscow. I am very pleased with this dictionary. Till now I found in this dictionary all Russian technical words and phrases, which one were necessary to me. In this dictionary is very large entries with more examples of technical & science terms and phrases. Highly recommend this dictionary to translators and technicians, which one work with Russia.

Comprehensive Russian English Polytechnic Dictionary in 4 volumes.
D.A.Rusak, A.Yu.Ovsinskiy. Edited by D.A.Rusak
ISBN 5864550515
Release date: 1998
Published by: ETS
About 500000 terms.
In 4 volumes, hardcover, 20x30 centimeters
In 4 volumes totaly about 4000 pages, over 500,000 terms, hardcover,

This new Comprehensive Russian-English Scientific and Technical Dictionary is the first ever published in Russia Russian - English technical dictionary based on American English. It is also the biggest one covering 500,000 scientific and technological terms both in traditional and the newest fields of science and technology. Lexical databases accumulated by ETS Publishers during the last two decades were used in compilation of the dictionary, which, in turn, took more than five years. This dictionary is the most modern one, too, for since the early 1970s there have been no actually revised technical dictionaries published in Russia.

Recent publications in American scientific and technological periodicals, as well as modern American concise scientific and technical dictionaries were also used in the process of compilation of the dictionary, providing for highly competitive edge as concerns the accuracy of definitions.

English equivalents are arranged in alphabetic order and may have labels and marks detailing the definition, where necessary. Examples below the heading line provide for further detalization of the definitions or they may sometimes even be inserted in the translation, as a complete phrase.

The dictionary was compiled and edited by a team of lexicographers headed by Dmitri A. Rusak. His other published works include English-Russian Dictionary of New Automotive Terms, Dictionary of Abbreviations of the Russian Language, English - Russian - English Dictionary of Business Correspondence (the latter available on CD-ROM only), plus some other works in progress.

Owing to the wide lexical coverage the dictionary should be useful to professional translators, experts in various fields of science and technology, and all those reading Russian scientific and technical publications.

This book was the vade mecum of Stephen Daedalus--as well as many non-fictional others in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. True, there's no entry for "tundish," but the book's otherwise an excellent and seemingly accurate source of linguistic enlightenment. It deserves nothing less than permanent placement on the shelf next to one's Strunk and White, Fowler, Partridge, Otto Jesperson, and Josefa Heifetz Byrne.

If you love or like James Joyce, you'll love this book. It was his favorite book. It is a benefit to have this book when reading _Ulysses_ or _Finnegans Wake_. And for any poet in love with language, this book is vital.

I carry this book around in my car, and have the unabridged in my office. They are incredibly useful source of insight - listen to the words people emphasize or repeat, then look them up here for "the rest of the story". The best of many etymological dictionaries out there for this use.

First, I can really only second the other two reviewers'views on this lexicon. It is as convenient to use as a dictionary, (provided, of course, that you know Hebrew alphabetical order and enough Hebrew to recognize Qal stems of verbs), and quite a bit more informative. The book IS concise, containing just over 400 pages (as against the BDB's 1000+), proper names are listed but not defined, and all instances of every word are not cited. Rather, examples of each sense of the word are usually cited. There are errata listed at the beginning and end of the book. In short, this is very handy, and if you've gone beyond the need for Strong's numbers, and want up to date linguistic information, try this edition!

All the points Mr. Gould gave are exactly right. So I'll just try personal testimonial to sell you this tool. I have owned this book for 20 years, but whenever I see a used one in the bookstore I try to justify buying it again for my son or anyone. It is that useful.

I study the Hebrew of the Bible often, very often and for years, translating words and looking to get the right shade of meaning. Holladay is the first lexicon I reach for. I can literally straighten my elbow right now and pull it off my shelf of hundreds of books and dozens of Hebrew books and aids. This is because not only is all that was mentioned in the other review but it is compact and readable. Only then, after checking Holladay, do I turn to Gesenius, the others and the multivolumes.

If you are a student, a minister who has to keep looking up 'alma (give it up! ;-), or need a quick reminder of a word meaning, I can't believe you don't already have this book!!! Act like "somebody" and get this NOW.

Binding wise, I have to add, that this book has held up very well to constant use without its dustjacket. One minor casuality is the gold ink on the cover---it has faded some and looks more light green than gold. So what!? I should look so good after 20 years!

This English abridgement of Koehler and Baumgartner's lexicon is perhaps the best reference tool Hebrew students will come across having such usefulness at a reasonable price. It is alphabetically organized and thus quicker than Brown-Driver-Briggs, but it also represents more current scholarship and better linguistic methodology. As well, it is a good size and the entries are generally well-organized. Even if you already have BDB, I would suggest getting Holladay because of the additional information on contextual usage and his more careful use of lexical data from cognate languages.

A hilarious look at the way Singaporeans use the English language. It is natural with so many different enthnicity staying together that other languages get incorporated. I find it difficult to understand at times. One must be partially exposed to the culture to understand and fully enjoy the nuances. A definite must if one wishes to visit the country!

A wonderful collection of vocabulary for Singlish (the creole language that is the lingua franca in Singapore) complete with examples and more.

...although it should be noted that the Coxford Singlish Dictionary can be accessed online at www.talkingcock.com and they're updating it constantly (the updates aren't added to the book, but they are added to the online version)

This book is the most excellent and entertaining guide to Singaporean vernacular English I've ever encountered. It's also the first to celebrate Singlish as a unique part of Singapore culture rather than denigrate it as some form of pidgin (which it's not). The Coxford Singlish Dictionary... is also extremely funny, irreverent and devilishly intelligent. The worked examples are hilarious. I especially enjoyed the 'How To' section behind, with really great cartoons. Buy it before the Singapore government (the 'Gahmen') bans it!

Like the related Post-Development Reader, this stunning collection of essays are mandatory for any development student or practitioner. It is essential for complementing all the traditional readings and providing an important critical outlook. The advantage of this book lies in its organization. Broken up by topic such as "Development", "Poverty", "Market", and "Science", the book provides excellent insights into these concepts. In fact it's critiques reach much further than just development, to science, the state, and modernity overall. A must read!

I am buying this book today because an organizational behavior professor I highly respect said recently it was the best book he'd read. I had flipped through his copy months earlier and recalled that it is dense with diverse essays. I am looking forward to reading it.

I read this book in a Third World Development class. It takes a lot for a book to impress me the way this book has. For the first time, I could not put down a book I had to read for class. If you want a different, non-western perspective of development, this is a must read. The arguments and writing within the different topics are very strong. It's definitely a keeper and well worth the money. I highly recommend it!

I use this in my college classes because it is easy to read, gives all meanings of each word, gives use in a sentence, and is clear enough for beginners to use. I have even used this with high school ESL students with great sucess. It also has a CD that talks and a workbook that breaks down how to use the dictionary.

word idio

This dictionary is the best ESL I have ever seen. Clear definition, useable examples, and other features are other ESL dictionaries don't have.

I had a copy of this all throughout undergrad and grad school. For the serious student of German, it is about the only dictionary you will ever need. Especially for Americans--the dictionary is geared for American usage, as opposed to British usage.

This is the best translator I have ever used! This book includes every definition as you would expect from a good dictionary but that is not all. It also includes idioms and American usage of the words. This is definitely a bestseller in it's own league. I want to highly commend the writers of this book and recommend it to everyone who needs to look up a German word from English or vice versa.

I am an english learning student from Switzerland. I've gotten to know an american girl. I had to buy a dictionary with precise references for american english, because so many words in her mails were still foreign after looking up in a dictionary. I've searched in so many booksellers in Switzerland but I didn't have luck. Only one with 30 000 definitions. That's not much. I searched in amazon com and found this one. A great thing with 220 000 references on 1520 pages. Transcribed in German as well as in English. I think it's recommend for German-speaking people planing to be on vacation oversea or such ones like me with friends or relations in the USA. The sections 'differences between american and british english' and 'measurements' are especially helpful. I am really happy that I've found this vocabulary...

I have both the DRAE and Maria Moliner and none of them are as useful as this one. Lately, I don't even waste my time looking at the other two unless I really need to. Its explanations are a lot clearer than the aforementioned and this dictionary, unlike the other two, comes with EXAMPLES!!! In fact, many of my translation and interpreting professors are now recommending Salamanca to their students. If you want a excellent dictionary for a resonable price, this is definately the one.

I saw this dictionary last month at Borders and I had to own it. The only deterrent was the price. Without giving up hope I decided to purchase it from Amazon and not only was it half the amount but I was happy to know that I would be able to ascertain this fantastic resource. This dictionary is unilingual, diverse, and provides examples of usage of every word in the dictionary. This dictionary is from the University of Salamanca which is the oldest university in Spain and the most reputable in terms of preserving the Spanish language. It also classifies the words where applicable. For example, if the word has a restricted use, regional use, considered vulgar, pertains to medicine etc. which is extremely helpful when trying to choose the most appropriate word. Also with adjectives it indicates whether it is normally used before or after a noun in some cases both positions are acceptable in Spanish. I own a version of the Real Academia about the same size as this dictionary and this one is better by far. The definitions are clear, concise with examples and idioms that really clarify the meaning. You can't go wrong with this dictionary. Not only is it a great reference to research the meaning of words but you will definitely expand your vocabulary by using it. This is one of most thorough dictionaries that I own. I sincerely recommend it.

This dictionary is excellent for English speakers who wish to improve their Spanish by reading definitions in Spanish. It contains slang and examples for each definition. Though Spanish in its orientation, it includes Mexican usage. An example of this is the word "Intendente", which means "janitor" in Mexico but has other meanings elsewhere. Salamanca includes a definition in Spanish for janitor under "Intendente". The print is also easy on the eye.

Dreams are not produced by MGM nor by the authors of "dream books." I have used this book, not as an exclusive tool, but as a prod or a cue book to help me associate a possible meaning that may jog my memory. This book is invaluable, and I continue to use it even if every answer is not there. For more possibilities I turn to Strephon Kaplan-Williams to look at his "Dream Cards," or to a dictionary of symbols. Use whatever is necessary, but remember, it is your dream and only you know the answer. Don't give in to some fortune teller's dream books. Throw them away.

I am usually quite skeptical when a writer offers a way to unravel the meaning of a dream. What makes this author's approach different is he shuns the obvious superstitions and blends the theories of Freud, Jung, Adler, Stekel, Gutheil, and many others. Why no one thought of this before is a mystery to me, but I do notice this book comes from England, a nation known for taking fuzzy European ideas and transforming them into the sobriety of science. Chetwynd explains each aspect of a dream with a simple definition; but there is still enough information given to convince us that his source was a clinical theory rather than some fortune teller's unchallenged guess. The sources are useful in case we need to sort out the matter in more elaborate detail than was the goal of this quick reference guide. I greatly appreciate that compromise, because even with the insights possible this subject is going to remain speculative. As I haven't had much faith or contact with psychiatrists, sociologists, or their books, this is better than nothing. Additionally, this little book has an especially appealing shape and size. That encourages the reader to keep it at bedside - or take it along to work when some particularly intriguing dream lingers from the night. This practice appeals to the artistic potential within all of us, especially those who open their minds to the possibility that dreams and reality are connected.

Of the several books on dreams I own, this is one of the best--and the most concise. The author's research is impeccable, his sources being namely Jung, Freud and the vast world of mythology and symbolism from cultures around the world. A must buy for anyone interested in the serious study of dreams.