Browser's Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases

"A tour de force of exotica sure to interest the word-conscious epicure. Bon appétit!"-Jeffrey Kacirk, author of The Word Museum and Forgotten English English is not only the most widely spoken language in the world, it is also the most dynamic. And one of the chief sources of its enormous vitality is the many foreign words and phrases, from armoire and ayatollah to cabriolet and knish, that continually enrich it. Containing selections that reflect our everyday discourse and illuminate the words and phrases we come across in the newspapers or on television, The Browser's Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases is an A-to-Z compendium of the thousands of loanwords currently used in English speech and writing. With almost 2,000 entries from over sixty languages, this unique reference is a globetrotting tour through the unusually exotic and surprisingly familiar foreign words that have entered English usage. Featuring recent additions to the language as well as older words whose current usage may have changed over time, The Browser's Dictionary makes pronunciation easy by avoiding complex phonetic symbols and offers hundreds of example sentences to show how these words are used. Each entry also includes a simple, comprehensive definition, etymology, and, wherever possible, the fascinating story of how it managed to find its way into English. As absorbing as it is informative, here is the ultimate guide for writers, editors, and word lovers of every ilk.Varchaver, Mary is the author of 'Browser's Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases', published 2005 under ISBN 9780756789176 and ISBN 0756789176.