So, I bought two other reference works before the June 7 haul (take a look here), but I just didn't write about them before the bigger haul came in. So, here's #3!
**Another upcoming post is not going to be actually about dictionaries at all...I'm not sure what I'm going to call those, but maybe it'll just be called a dictionary haul anyway. We'll see.
Dictionary #1: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Allusions
So, I think this dictionary is very interesting. The entries are laid out alphabetically, as is expected with a dictionary, but rather than having definition numbers, each entry contains (1) a straight definition of what the term means, (2) a brief explanation of the allusion's origin, and (3) a couple of usage examples. The dictionary is presented very simply and clearly, and the use of quotes that are not limited to the sentence/phrase that contains the word provides ample context for the phrase in use, which is necessary for a reader who doesn't know what an allusion is referring to and/or what the connotation goes along with the allusion in question.
Here are some photos of the outside.
It's not a huge book. It measures (approximately) 8.5" high, 5.7" wide, and 1.3" thick, which isn't that large for a dictionary. It's also not that heavy, and you can comfortably hold it in one hand, and flip the page with the other, unlike ponderous desk dictionaries that require a table or other sturdy surface for non-damaging use. And it's also fairly recent.
Unlike other M-W reference works, this one was actually written by only a couple of authors. Most of these large-scale reference works are perused by many editors and checked by usage experts, etymologists, and many others. This one has the attitude and humor of a human author, rather than the systematic insertion of information into entries of an encyclopedia.
More interestingly, though, this dictionary provides insight into how English gets its words and phrases, and also teaches the reader about events in global, literary, political, and other histories. For example, take a look at the entry for "Typhoid Mary":
This entry tells us a lot about modern Western history, and it also teaches us about the disease that the entry is referring to. It's a little dose of history presented in a clever way that uses excerpts from other writing without them feeling like they were just thrown in. Everything in the entry is integrated well and it's a great way to get a reader to understand the context and meaning of an allusion.
The "fault line" entry also sheds more light on the English language.
Here, the definition/explanation of the allusions meaning is a scientific definition, but the usage examples provided by the authors explain history (in this case, Russian history) and also of the connotation of appropriate usage ("fault line" should be used to describe great political/relational ridges between societies or groups of people, not just minor arguments or quibbles between siblings, etc.).
If you'd like to see some more interesting entries, I've included some images below.
The expertly crafted M-W Dictionary of Allusions is great for flipping to a random page and just reading if you want to learn some interesting vocabulary.
Not-Dictionary #2: The Oxford Companion to the English Language, American Edition
The best way to describe this book is to say that it's a compact language encyclopedia. It is basically a guide to all things linguistic (different kinds of sounds in different languages, how to make them with your voice, and literary devices) and also of just about everything else history, geography, and literary as it relates to English language/lexicography/linguistic history. Have a look at the covers and spine...
...And the publication date...
Shakespeare gets a whole bunch of pages. Noah Webster gets less than a page, but the Webster dictionaries get a bunch collectively. To give you a scale about the detail of the entries, here are photos of the ONE entry about "OLD ENGLISH," which you'll see below...
Yeah. So, they (kind of) write a little more (just a little more) than you'll probably need. But, I suppose that if you need all that information, this is an excellent resource.
There are entries about poets, lexicographers, linguists, publishers, authors, novelists, linguistic sounds, literary devices, linguistic influence from other languages, and different forms of language. For example, there is an entry on "ONOMASTICS," whose simplified definition reads: "[t]he study of proper names, including their forms and uses, especially the names of persons ... and places[.]" Another entry on "COPPERPLATE" reads: "(I) A polished plate of copper on which a picture, a design, or writing may be engraved or etched for a printing; a print or impression from such a plate; the general name for such work; to engrave or print from a copper plate." There's even an entry about the "MODERN LANGUAGE ASSOCIATION," shown here:
There are even same interesting and entertaining "stories" about languages embedded within the entries. The entry for "DECORATIVE ENGLISH" is pretty ridiculous.
Here are a couple more entries for your enjoyment.
So, that's basically what's up with this work.
Please comment, follow, and +1 this post if you liked it. Check back for more soon!
**Another upcoming post is not going to be actually about dictionaries at all...I'm not sure what I'm going to call those, but maybe it'll just be called a dictionary haul anyway. We'll see.
Dictionary #1: Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Allusions
So, I think this dictionary is very interesting. The entries are laid out alphabetically, as is expected with a dictionary, but rather than having definition numbers, each entry contains (1) a straight definition of what the term means, (2) a brief explanation of the allusion's origin, and (3) a couple of usage examples. The dictionary is presented very simply and clearly, and the use of quotes that are not limited to the sentence/phrase that contains the word provides ample context for the phrase in use, which is necessary for a reader who doesn't know what an allusion is referring to and/or what the connotation goes along with the allusion in question.
Here are some photos of the outside.
It's not a huge book. It measures (approximately) 8.5" high, 5.7" wide, and 1.3" thick, which isn't that large for a dictionary. It's also not that heavy, and you can comfortably hold it in one hand, and flip the page with the other, unlike ponderous desk dictionaries that require a table or other sturdy surface for non-damaging use. And it's also fairly recent.
Unlike other M-W reference works, this one was actually written by only a couple of authors. Most of these large-scale reference works are perused by many editors and checked by usage experts, etymologists, and many others. This one has the attitude and humor of a human author, rather than the systematic insertion of information into entries of an encyclopedia.
More interestingly, though, this dictionary provides insight into how English gets its words and phrases, and also teaches the reader about events in global, literary, political, and other histories. For example, take a look at the entry for "Typhoid Mary":
This entry tells us a lot about modern Western history, and it also teaches us about the disease that the entry is referring to. It's a little dose of history presented in a clever way that uses excerpts from other writing without them feeling like they were just thrown in. Everything in the entry is integrated well and it's a great way to get a reader to understand the context and meaning of an allusion.
The "fault line" entry also sheds more light on the English language.
If you'd like to see some more interesting entries, I've included some images below.
Not-Dictionary #2: The Oxford Companion to the English Language, American Edition
The best way to describe this book is to say that it's a compact language encyclopedia. It is basically a guide to all things linguistic (different kinds of sounds in different languages, how to make them with your voice, and literary devices) and also of just about everything else history, geography, and literary as it relates to English language/lexicography/linguistic history. Have a look at the covers and spine...
...And the publication date...
Shakespeare gets a whole bunch of pages. Noah Webster gets less than a page, but the Webster dictionaries get a bunch collectively. To give you a scale about the detail of the entries, here are photos of the ONE entry about "OLD ENGLISH," which you'll see below...
Yeah. So, they (kind of) write a little more (just a little more) than you'll probably need. But, I suppose that if you need all that information, this is an excellent resource.
There are entries about poets, lexicographers, linguists, publishers, authors, novelists, linguistic sounds, literary devices, linguistic influence from other languages, and different forms of language. For example, there is an entry on "ONOMASTICS," whose simplified definition reads: "[t]he study of proper names, including their forms and uses, especially the names of persons ... and places[.]" Another entry on "COPPERPLATE" reads: "(I) A polished plate of copper on which a picture, a design, or writing may be engraved or etched for a printing; a print or impression from such a plate; the general name for such work; to engrave or print from a copper plate." There's even an entry about the "MODERN LANGUAGE ASSOCIATION," shown here:
Please comment, follow, and +1 this post if you liked it. Check back for more soon!
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