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9780816044597

Facts on File Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases

by
  • ISBN13:

    9780816044597

  • ISBN10:

    0816044597

  • Format: Paperback
  • Copyright: 2002-04-01
  • Publisher: Checkmark Books
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List Price: $16.95

Summary

The American poet and essayist Ralph Waldo Emerson described the English language as "the sea which receives tributaries from every region under heaven." With more than 4,000 entries, this dictionary explains the meanings and origins of terms that have entered the English lexicon from foreign tongues.

Author Biography

Martin H. Manser is a reference book editor and writer with an academic background in linguistics. He lives in England

Table of Contents

Introductionp. vii
Foreign Words and Phrasesp. 1
Indexp. 413
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.

Supplemental Materials

What is included with this book?

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

Excerpts

An indispensable guide to more than 4,000 foreign expressions in the English language.
Praise for the hardcover edition:
...a fascinating wealth of information about the words and phrases we use in our everyday speech.—Calliope
Ralph Waldo Emerson once described the English language as "the sea which receives
tributaries from every region under heaven." We dip into this sea more often than we
realize, sprinkling our writings and everyday conversations with words and phrases that
are derived from other languages. The Facts On File Dictionary of Foreign Words and
Phrases presents information on the origins and usage of more than 4,000 of these
expressions.
The dictionary clarifies and explains words and phrases spanning a wide range of
fields, from law to music, philosophy to cuisine. Some expressions have been fully
assimilated into the English language, including "igloo," "extra," and
"bonanza," while others are still considered foreign, such as "de
rigueur" and "magnum opus." Entries include pronunciations in American
English, parts of speech and other relevant grammatical information, languages of origin,
concise definitions, examples of use, and etymological backgrounds.
Sample entries include:
bimbo (bimbo) italian [baby] noun (plural bimbos or bimboes) a slang term for a
physically attractive but apparently unintelligent young woman (or, more rarely, young
man): "Any woman who succeeds as a top model has to work hard to convince the press
not to label her a bimbo."
kismet (kizmet, kizmat, kizmit) turkish [from Arabic qismah portion, lot] noun
fate, fortune, destiny: "It's predestined on the face of it. Yes, tell him
it's Kismet. Kismet, mallum? (Fate! Do you understand?)" (Rudyard Kipling, Kim,
1901).

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