- Hardcover: 1312 pages
- Publisher: Chambers; 1 edition (Aug 18 1999)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0550142304
- ISBN-13: 978-0550142306
- Product Dimensions: 25.1 x 17.7 x 5.6 cm
- Shipping Weight: 2.1 Kg
- Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#230,880 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #67 in Books > Reference > Words & Language > Etymology
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Product Details |
Product Description
Review
'The best of scholarship ... the most user-friendly of etymological dictionaries' -- University of Georgia
Book Description
How are the words 'door' German 'Tr' and Sanskrit 'dvar' related? When did the word Blarney first appear in print? What's the linguistic history of the word 'history'? The Chambers Etymological Dictionary holds all the answers for any person curious about the origins of the words they use, and how these words have changed over time. This fascinating dictionary explores the development of meaning, spelling, and pronunciation of over 25,000 English words. Over 30,000 detailed entries trace words back to their Proto-Germanic or Indo-European roots, and include words borrowed from other languages, as well as the sources and dates of their first recorded use. For many years academics, wordsmiths, crossword lovers, and language enthusiasts of all stripes have turned to this celebrated volume as their reference of choice in lexical matters. First published as the Barnhart Etymological Dictionary, the Chambers Dictionary of Etymology offers a unique combination of approachability and authoritativeness in an accessible single-volume format, making it an essential etymological resource for the expert, and a fascinating reference for the general reader. Sample entry from the Chambers Etymological Dictionary: blarney n. flattering, coaxing talk. 1766, Lady Blarny (for Blarney), a smooth-talking flatterer in Goldsmith's the Vicar of Wakefield, her name being a literary contrivance in allusion to Blarney Stone, a stone in a castle near Cork, Ireland. Anyone kissing the stone is supposed to become skillful in flattering and coaxing. The word is used in its general sense in a letter of Sir Walter Scott (1796).
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Most helpful customer reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good, but not quite as detailed as Oxford version,
By
Ce commentaire est de: Chambers Dictionary of Etymology (Hardcover)
I had the chance to compare the Chambers Dictionary of Etymology with the Oxford Dictionary of Etymology, and I have to say that although both books are way ahead of the competition, for me, the Oxford seemed to go into greater depth.Admittedly, I did not have the time to compare a lot of entries, but the few words I did look up showed a pattern that was hard to dismiss. In all of the cases that I saw, the Oxford dictionary included much more of the history of the word and often went back to the Latin root as well as proposing possible alternate developments of the word. The Chambers dictionary, on the other hand, tended to trace a more linear path and often only went as far back as the Old English or Old French root. While the Chambers Dictionary of Etymology is a very clear and concise work, I feel the Oxford Dictionary of Etymology has a slight advantage in precision and depth. I must add that although the Oxford beats out the Chambers dictionary in regard to etymology, Chambers has the advantage when it comes to quotations. I find that the Chambers Dictionary of Quotations is better than Oxford's equivalent work.
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
Chambers reads well, but no cigar,
By blain bovee (Guelph, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
Ce commentaire est de: Chambers Dictionary of Etymology (Hardcover)
I bought the Chambers Dictionary of Etymology, largely based on reviews posted here. While I love the 'prose' style of word origin discussions, there has scarcely been a time the book has proved useful. The fact is, Eric Partridge's "Origins" : a Short Etymological Dictionary of Modern English" surpasses Chambers on a daily basis for my purposes. It goes deeper, gives you a wealth of threads for further investigation and contains some spicy asides regarding other distionaries. That one needs to familiarize oneself with abbreviations is simply no objection.My view is : by-pass Chambers and get a real etymological dictionary. You will never regret it. I have a pristine copy of Chambers for sale should you incline to the contrary.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
No better than a good dictionary.,
By Big Red (Santa Cruz, CA USA) - See all my reviews
Ce commentaire est de: Chambers Dictionary of Etymology (Hardcover)
To my surprise I found this book to be no better than my 50 year old Webster Collegiate Dictionary. About the same number of roots, similarly presented.
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