Features
- Cover Type: Paperback with 1216 pages
- Published by: Oxford University Press, USA September 3, 1992
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 019214183X
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-0192141835
-
Book Dimensions:
9.5 x 6.1 x 2 inches
- Weighs: 3.2 pounds
From Library Journal
If a telephone reference caller asks what deconstructionism is--or for the difference between a spondee and a dactyl, or for a clarification of Nice-Nellyism or the Gunning Fog Index--this is the source to reach for. The range here is wonderfully broad: language history, dialects, grammar, style, rhetoric, and so forth. A typical Oxford "Companion," this is both authoritative and fun. Articles are thorough, concise, and signed; cross-referencing is excellent; the ancient and au courant receive equal treatment; and the scope is global. Some will quibble (yes, quibble has an entry, but it's a cross reference to pun ); e.g., sundry authors who "influenced the shape or study of language" have entries, so that Mary Wollstonecraft is listed but Ruskin is not (although "Pathetic Fallacy" is). And the occasional bibliographies are perfunctory afterthoughts. Nevertheless, this is a fine book for reference and browsing. Highly recommended.
- Robert E. Brown, Onondaga Cty. P.L., Syracuse, N.Y.Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Product Review
Praise for The Oxford Companion to the English Language:
"This is one of the big dreams for most writers, for an addition to their research shelf. It's the ultimate in authority for spelling, definition, and first use."--The San Diego Tribune
"A superb survey."--Library Journal
"Invaluable."--Choice
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Reader Reviews
This review is from: The Concise Oxford Companion to the English Language (Oxford Paperback Reference) (Hardcover)
People who love English already have a few books about advanced English usage, such as Fowler, and various style guides. I love Fowler; browsing its pages is a delight. The Oxford Companion (concise ed) is different. It's much more objective, and more encylopedic. There are entries on many important linguistic terms and concepts, excellent definitions of all the grammatical terms you'll come across (what does "dative" mean?), accurate surveys of areas like what is a dialect and what isn't, and the major threads of the academic debate are presented. Every letter of the alphabet is given its history. Curious about Scouse? About the impact of Samuel Johnson and his dictionary? What is the state of opinion about the Sapir-Whorfian Hypothesis? Estuary English? Regional dialects of North America? I can't believe I haven't had this book on my shelf since the moment it was published, and I'm busy making a list of people to give it to. This a breakthrough contribution to books about English.
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