Dictionary Reviews

Yes, you can own Greek for yourself by using this precious gem of a book. Free yourself from endlessly reviewing paradigms and principal parts. Prevent yourself from using analytical lexicons and interlinear texts, which are the fastest ways to forget the Greek you worked so hard (and paid so much money?) to learn.

By making a habit of looking up "hard" word forms in MBG first, your command of the details of Greek word formation will become stronger and stronger.

Just about everyone who teaches Greek knows William D. Mounce's material. His "Basics of Biblical Greek" is now the standard first year grammar. The Morphology of Biblical Greek (MBG) is an important text for those in their second year of Greek and are beginning to experience both the joys and the sorrows of reading the Greek New Testament (GNT) I instruct my students to purchase Sakae Kubo's "Reader's Lexicon" and this volume once they successfully finished their first year of Greek.
MBG gives every lemma that appears in the GNT a unique morphological code and places the lexical form and the code in an index at the end of this book. When you find a word in the GNT whose form you don't understand; simply look up the lexical form in the index, get the code and then read that section in the body of the textbook. Mounce explains the 'whys' of the form so the student can understand each step in the words formation. Since the rules learned apply to an entire class of words, the next time you encounter any similar word (i.e., a word with the same code), you will understand it as well.
I believe that the best way to master Greek is to read the GNT. This book, coupled with a good Reader's Lexicon and Syntax will give you the tools you need to master reading the GNT (obviously more tools will be required for in-depth study).
My only criticism of MBG is that Zondervan printed this as a softcover -- what in the world were they thinking!!

"I hate memorization" is how the book begins, and Mounce makes it so you do not need to do mindless rote memorization either. This book explains in simple language the rules used by Greek in the formation of words. Once one understands the rules, the language behaves VERY regular and in an understandable fashion. For example, one you realize the spelling changes are for the sake of pronunciation, they make sense! This book is well worth its weight in gold. You can use it as a stand-alone reference work, but it is designed to go with Mounce's Grammar and Lexicon. I can't encourage you enought to get this book if you want to understand the langauge instead of just memorizing a bunch of paradigms.

For anyone who has the idea of offing a loved one, unloved one, etc. -- saying: "YOU ARE THE WEAKEST LINK...GOODBYE!"... think again!! Murder 'WHATDUNIT' isn't a textbook on how to get rid of friends, relatives or Congressional interns but a wonderful collection explaining, as the authors put it, "the mechanics of murder, its investigation and detection." In other words, it lists terms, explains them (often with specific cases) then shows you how the method, deed, or act is detected. How can this be of use to a reader? This book is: a)a GREAT read that you'll want to re-read again, b)a MUST for anyone who has any plans to ever write any kind of fiction (it'll save you months of research), c)something you can send to your nephew who has been eyeing you strangely since he just learned you made out your will making him a beneficiary. He will realize he can be caught.. Have you been dying (SORRY..wrong word!) to find out more about strangulation, death certificates, embolisms, dominance theory, lie detectors, body disposal, dismemberment, cyanide, etc.? If so, it's all HERE in this well-written meticulously researched book. The authors are experts on murder and the forensic sciences. Not one word of this book is padded. All solid info -- a fascinating read!!

Other books specialise in giving case studies in crime. This book, on the other hand, examines what might be called the technical side behind the murders. Want to know what Mens Rea is, the various definitions of homicide, or the principles behind ballistics? Then this is *the* book to have. It fills in all the little details that you might have ever wanted to know, a compilation of information from hundreds of different references. If true crime is your subject, then buy this book.

This book covers a multitude of subjects dealing with forensic science and murderers. No, this doesn't tell you how to commit murder; it explores how science would probably get you caught! Embellished with numerous historical photos (many gory - like an actual picture of severed heads), Whatdunit explains the biological responses to many methods of murder - from acid to gassing to thallium. Fascinating. A must for the crime buff.

When the book arrived, I was really surprised at how short it is. At first I almost felt ripped off. Then I realized the authors simply cut out all the extraneous material found in most Spanish texts. It's an outstanding synthesis of the "must know" Spanish grammar. I've used it to study for two finals, and it has been most helpful. In fact, I've spent more time preparing for exams with this book than my course textbooks. There's nothing about culture, history, or Latin food -- very little vocabulary either -- just pure grammar. It's of most use to elementary and intermediate students, but it makes an excellent reference for more advanced students too. The section on the subjunctive tense (my nemesis) is outstanding. I actually had a bad dream that I lost it and couldn't replace it because it was out of print (horrors!) so I actually bought another as a backup and keep it in a safe place. Go ahead and buy Más fácil: A Concise Review of Spanish Grammar. You won't be sorry.

I purchased this book in for College Spanish almost ten years ago, and I still use it for reference. It is a very complete book that focuses on what is useful. I recommend this book to anyone who wishes to learn Spanish and learn it well.

Concise yet thorough coverage of Spanish grammar. Gives English comparisons -- or tells you if the grammar is unique to Spanish so you can save time hunting for an English "equivalent". Appendices include: English Grammar Terms, Commonly Confused and Misused Terms, Conjugations of 30 Common Verbs. Ten verb tenses are summarized, including common irregular present & past participles. This has been my "go-to" aide for Freshman Spanish I and II. I highly recommend it!

This book is excellent reading and research material for anyone searching for solid answers to questions about how everything fits together in the Bible. It covers the different people, trades, lifestyle, geography with maps, etc. It is tabbed for fast research. My daughter said that just reading the first 20 pages explained more to her than she had ever understood about Biblical times and customs. This book is great to just read from cover to cover and then refer to as you study the Bible, both old and new testament. It enlightens the study to a more understandable text for the common person.

This book has everything you could want from a bible encyclopedia. It focuses mainly on religion and history. It has a book by book discription of each book in the Bible. It talks about ancient cultures and civilizations. There are color markers on the upper right hand corner to help you to find what you need to find on other pages in the book. It has large lifelike pictures and illustrations. The questions and answers in the book are interesting. It is just a good all around book. I defenately would recommend this book for anybody who want to understand the background of the Bible as much as possible.

I love this book. For a general overview of the Bible, this is the best! Lots of 4-color pictures and super interesting commentary. I read it cover to cover. Another great book is THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO THE BOOK OF PROVERBS by Cody Jones. The comments are interesting and put things into a historical setting. Many Biblical characters are pointed out who illustrate King Solomon's witty observations on human nature. Many of the riddles and mysteries of Proverbs are explored with surprising new answers.

This dictionary is fun and gorgeous! Great format: very light and ergonomic having over 500 pages of invaluable information! Clever design. Everyone in computer industry should have it on the desk, read it during lunch break, have it as a contemporary coffee-table book. You will learn something new even if you think you know all about it. It may open your eyes on terms you have used incorrectly. I am webdesigner with years of experience and I have always thought that "hacker" is a negative hero in the Internet jargon, but I was wrong according to Netlingo Dictionary... I believe that it's newest Net dictionary out there.

The Netlingo dictionary gives me an enormous assortment of Internet, computing, telecom, and networking terms for reference. The definitions are written in a laid-back, conversational tone. It's as readable and friendly as you can get in this technical area, but it doesn't get condescending or cutesy. I wind up reading the surrounding terms after I've looked something up. I've recommended it to my parents because any computer user will benefit from having the dictionary as he or she moves up the learning curve. Plus, the chat acronyms, smilies, and assicons are hilarious ;-)

NetLingo has become a wonderful resource for me in understanding what my 'web guys' are talking about. I am somewhat computer saavy, but sometimes get my cookies confused with my bytes. It is nice to finally have a reference beside my 14 year old nephew. I'm getting a copy today for my home office.

The electronic format comes into its own with multi-volume works. Having a 5 volume dictionary on CD ROM is much more convenient than having to juggle with bulky books [much as I love the codex!]

If you have used the Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, you will appreciate having this up-to-date, more comprehensive dictionary. Also included with the excellent lexical entries are articles about how to do Old Testament exegesis and stimulating introductions to the theology of each Old Testament book.

Wonderful new resource for Bible students. Includes an analysis of individual Hebrew words, topical studies, exegetical guide, and many more helpful tools.

This work was eight years in the making and is truly a delight to own. I just purchased it and am very pleased with it. It is the counterpart to to Colin Brown's New Testament Dictionary in 4 volumes.

I'm surprised that this book is available in paperbook. I still have our hardcover edition from 1961. This book has simple charts covering EVERYTHING you need to look up to understand Latin. Bennett is the Best!

This grammar has been around since the early 1900's( all the best latin grammars are of this time period or earlier) and it is as good today as when it was first issued. It is the best short latin grammar available. It will not show you all the nuances of the language, like Gildersleeve's or Greenough's , but it will give you the absolute basics that you need to know to learn this complex language. The explanations are concise and to the point; and the part on syntax is also nicely done. My only complaint is that this book only comes in a paperback edition. I wish the book was available in hardcover or clothbound. Reference works of this quality should always be available in such an edition.

Charles Bennett's New Latin Grammar enjoys a new incarnation in paperback. The text follows a traditional format for Latin reference grammars: phonology, morphology, syntax and prosody. Coverage is descriptive, not historical, clearly designed to answer basic questions about forms and syntax for the student who needs more than an introductory learner's text but less than a 500 page tome, detailing every possible exception.

My own experience in using the book with intermediate students in school ( AP Vergil ) would suggest that there is some resistance to moving from beginners' texts, which are self-contained, to the use of a reference grammar because of the time needed to locate items in indices or tables of contents. Bennett's New Latin Grammar meets this problem of the time-pressed learner by its concision, only 250 pages of text, with a good general index to topics. Concision with accuracy is the key strength of this grammar, as Bennett himself stated in the Preface to First Edition: "The object of this book is to present the essential facts of Latin grammar in a direct and simple manner, and within the smallest compass consistent with scholarly standards." This goal has been met and should be helpful in developing the habit of reference grammar use among students who have completed formal grammar lessons but who, on their own, still need to dig out unusual forms or to address less common syntactical structures. Bennett's Grammar will help less experienced Latin students climb the ladder to becoming their own best teachers in matters of syntax.

The BEST feature of the New Oxford Picture Dictionary is that the workbook and textbook pages are correlated. It is SO much easier to teach a class of non-English speaking clients and SO much easier for them to experience success. They LOVE the format and the information is pertinent, with necessary language skills taught first. The pictures are EXCELLENT, and the content superb. Because I teach for 8 hours a day before teaching an English as Second Lang. class, I have little time to prepare. This series offers a simple, direct approach that is easy to reference, and easy to work with independently for the novice English speaker. BEST picture dictionary/workbook on the market. Please publish one in Norwegian! I will buy it!!!!!

It's impossible to overstate how useful this book is to students struggling to learn English. Although many entry-level learners have no patience with using a standard bilingual dictionary, they are reluctant to put this book down.

The scenes from daily life (with the possible exception of outer space) are extremely helpful, particularly those dealing with work situations and vehicles.

I have only two criticisms of this book: 1) Adding relevant verbs to the actions in each scene would be very useful (granted, this is asking a lot from a dictionary); 2) Phonetic transcriptions, particularly of the English words, would help enormously in pronunciation.

For someone able to buy only one self-study book, I would say, "This is the one!"

The book is very helpful in teaching beginning non-English speaking students. The teacher's guide is a useful tool with the Dictionary.

My wife and I are volunteer teachers in a program for Latino workers in the Santa Ynez Valley Calif., We give these books out without charge to the students, can you do any better on the price in quantity? Your response and consideration would be appreciated. Thanks, Robert E. Weiss

Largest Russian acronyms & abbreviations dictionary. Recommend! More 32 000 abbreviations! AAAAAAAA++++++++++

The is largest Russian abbreviations dictionary! Printed in Finnland - very good typeset quality! Very - very helps in my activity. Most complex in modern Russian is a plenty of abbreviations. In this dictionary is not only general or common abbreviations from the newspapers, but also plenty of technical and scientific abbreviations, contracted notation of the trademarks and other useful information.
I also have purchased the "Dictionary of acronyms and abbreviations in Russian Language 1996 - 1999. This dictionary of the same authors and same ETS publishing house contains about 10000 abbreviations, which one were not included in the first dictionary (Edited by I.V.Fagradyanc. ISBN 5933860018)

ISBN 5864550477
Release date: 1995
Published by: ETS
About 32000 terms.
soft cover, 13x19 centimeters
668 pages.
This edition is prepared on the basis of the official documents, instructions, regulations, standards and press. This is the first edition of such scope including as old Russian language abbreviations and acronyms as well as abbreviation emerged in Russian language recently. It contains abbreviations practically at all directions of human activity, including for the first time scientific and technical abbreviations, abbreviations and full names of officials state bodies, etc.

This dictionary can be used by various circles of readers and is a specially useful when reading (translating) modern Russian fiction, press and documents.

See also 'New abbreviations in russian language 1996-1999'

Most modern Christians, Catholic or not, are well versed in Latinate theological terms and notions. But how well do they know the Greek words and ideas of the Scriptures themselves? Despite that the Greek New Testament has been back in the West for several centuries now, its vocabulary still has not become a part of the mental furniture of the common Christian. Logos, agape, kyrie eleison.... Can you go any further? And more importantly, how well do you understand these words, words that were spoken, prayed, discussed, and debated almost every day in the ancient church?

Even if the only Greek you know is "alpha" and "omega", Barclay's little classic is an enjoyable and accessible place to start your word studies. (It might even encourage you to learn Greek!) In a series of graceful short essays, Barclay examines a few dozen important or interesting words in light of their biblical and classical usage; what he comes up with is one part philology and one part devotional reading.

For the student who has some Greek, this book will remind him or her why one studies Greek in the first place. It should also cure the beginning student of the tendency to impose English meanings and connotations on Greek words, treating the Greek as if it were only elaborate dress for his own thoughts--a code, and not a language.

Written in 1964, some of the information might be out of date in the scholarly world; also, considering that a number of the words have been the subjects of whole books, one must not expect Barclay's accounts to be the end-all and be-all. But there is much good to be had from this book, and I recommend it both for individual study and small-group discussion.

I have looked at and own some of the schorlarly greek word study books. They are not easy for a layman like me to understand. Barclay presents it simple and clear. He quotes from several ancient greek minds and tries to communicate the mindset of that age so you get an idea of the picture the Bible writer is trying to describe. He presents several different definitions of the same word. A excellent book, I only wish it was on all the Bible greek words but I guess he picked the nuggets.

This book takes certain great New Testament words (more than 70) and traces their meanings in classical Greek, the Septuagint, in Hellenistic Greek, and in the Papyri, giving the reader a greater understanding of what these words meant to the writers of the New Testament and to those who read and heard their message. It makes a great starter book for someone just beginning word studies.