The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms

by Chris Baldick

This dictionary provides succinct and often witty explanations of over one thousand potentially troublesome terms encountered in the study of literature, from absurd to zeugma , from the ancient dithyramb to the contemporary dub poetry , from the popular bodice-ripper to the aristocratic masque .
While it is fully up to date with the terminologies of deconstruction and other modern schools of literary theory, it also offers extensive coverage of traditional drama, versification, rhetoric, and literary history. Literary schools from Alexandrianism to Transcendentalism are included, along
with dozens of terms from languages other than English. Adjectival forms and other derived words are displayed, and simple pronunciation guides are given for over two hundred difficult terms, making this thoroughly cross-referenced dictionary the most helpful of its kind for all readers of
literature.

Genres: Reference, Nonfiction, Literature, Dictionaries, Writing, Literary Criticism, Education

246 pages, Paperback

First published September 20, 1990

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book describes the true essence of my nerdiness. I had to get this for one of my classes in college and I refused to sell it back because I adored it so much. While everyone around me was trying to get rid of it, I put it neatly on my shelf to keep forever, and even got really upset once when I thought I had lost it.

Anyway, this is probably the greatest dictionary in existence if you love reading and all things related to reading. It's very complete and offers many terms that I had never even really heard of, or maybe only heard in passing but never delved into in a class. I would call it a staple for anyone with an English degree. If you want to expand your knowledge of literary terminology, this is a wonderful tool for doing that.

[Pol · Rating 4 out of 5]

Offers concise definitions of difficult terms; in that respect it trumps Abrams's glossary. Sometimes Baldick lets his patrician-sounding distaste shew through: especially evident in his definition of kitsch. I imagine he must have felt better after purging strong tones of literary rage. Some other definitions are brief, and not entirely helpful. But I can't end the review without noting that it has been of great help during my studies. It helped to point out avenues of exploring things, of grasping the essentials before going on to more advanced quests.

The book itself is a bit rubbishy - the spine isn't the kind you might bend without fear of cracking and the paper isn't acid free. Still, content over form I suppose.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great value dictionary. Perfect for students of literature and English. It's got over 1,200 definitions of terms, pronunciation guides as well as recommendations for further reading too. Even additional online resources.
It's a great little reference book.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Possibly my best buy since beginning my English degree. Very helpful for clarifying difficult concepts in addition to being an excellent reference guide.

[Rachel Matsuoka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful, concise, and educational. Serves even as a decent overview of all things literary.

[Jason Pym · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friendly, short overview for beginners.

Things I found of note:

'sensibility' is an 18th century term for an aesthetic and moral response, the belief that human beings are innately sympathetic to others. It was a reaction against Thomas Hobbes theory that people are innately selfish, an idea explored in 'novels of sensibility' (Goethe's Young Werther and Richardson's Pamela) where floods of tears over the beauty of nature or the plight of others was seen as evidence of a pure and virtuous heart. Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility is a criticism of the self-indulgent extremes of the movement, and so the title of her novel means 'good sense vs. sentimentalism', rather than 'sense and the ability to sense' as for some reason I previously thought.

The concept of 'sensibility' was one of the trends leading to 19th century Romanticism.

Under science fiction, it says 'several early precedents have been claimed for the genre - notably Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1818) - but true modern science fiction begins with Jules Verne'. In the first sentence they define science fiction as 'fiction that explores the probable consequences of some improbable or impossible transformation of the basic conditions of human (or intelligent non-human) existence'. So in what way is Frankenstein not science fiction?

Under 'phoneme' it says '/l/ and /r/ are not distinguished in Chinese'. They absolutely are distinguished in Chinese, the language would be a confusing mess if you didn't. It's Japanese that does not make a distinction - they have a phoneme that floats between the two.

'synecdoche' (using a part to stand in for the whole, as in 'hired hands' to represent workmen, 'wheels' to represent a car, and 'bums on seats') is pronounced 'sin - EK - doe - kee', and not, as I previously thought, 'sigh - neck - douche' [wince].

[Sophie Crane · Rating 5 out of 5]

This dictionary is a joy, particularly for the new English Literature student. It's definitions are succinct and informative, including pointers for further reading. It's not definitive but is a great book to have on hand for quick and easy reference.

[Okhai Asein]

Nice book

[Madame Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE BEST reference for literary terms.

[Ulysses · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellently elaborated.

[Allie Meador]

Title (APA): The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms. (1990). Oxford University Press
Citation by: Allie Meador
Type of Reference: Dictionary
Call Number: 803 BAL
Paperback: 246 Pages
Publisher: Oxford University Press (September 20, 1990)
Author: Chris Baldick
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0198117337
ISBN-13: 978-0198117339
Product Dimension: 5.8 x 0.8 x 8.8 inches
Cost: $9.95
Content/Scope:
• The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms provides succinct and often witty explanations of over one thousand terms, covering everything from the ancient dithyramb to the contemporary dub poetry, from the popular bodice-ripper to the aristocratic masque, and from the social realism of Stalin's era to the magic realism of Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Salman Rushdie.
Accuracy/Authority/Bias:
• This is Chris Baldick 1st of 4 books over The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Term.
Arrangement/Presentation:
• The book is arranged alphabetically.
Relation to other Works:
• This book has been updated and published three different times since 1990. (1992, 2004, 2009)
Accessibility/Diversity:
• Throughout, the author's emphasis is on helping readers use these terms more confidently, whether in writing (he includes plural and adjectival forms, and other relevant derivations) or in speaking (easy-to-use pronunciation guides clarify more than 200 potentially troublesome terms). In addition, the dictionary is thoroughly cross-referenced.
Professional Review:
• http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0198...
From Library Journal
Of the many recent dictionaries of literary terms, Baldick's is the one most likely to satisfy today's student. Rejecting "encyclopaedic completeness," it omits commonly understood general terms that are not specifically literary (e.g., art, culture, etc.). Included instead are "many terms generated by the growth of academic literary theory in recent years." The explanations are clear and succinct, and often employ illustrative examples. An uncommon feature of this work is its pronunciation guide, applied to some 200 of the 1000 terms here defined. In addition to the attention paid to the terminology of classical rhetoric, there is a distinct emphasis on French deconstructionist terms derived from Derrida, Barthes, et al. Baldick's chief rival is Northrop Frye's Harper Handbook to Literature (1985), which is more comprehensive but lacks Baldick's currency. For larger libraries and academic collections.
- Jeffrey R. Luttrell, Youngstown State Univ., Ohio
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
 

[Beth Harper]

Baldick, C.(2015). Oxford dictionary of literary terms. Oxford University Press.

Citation by: Elizabeth Harper

Type of Reference: Dictionary

Call Number: 803

Content/ Scope: Targeted from 9th grade to adult, this dictionary offers a wealth of knowledge about literature devices that exist in literature. In addition, the book offers a pronunciation guide. This would be a helpful resource for anyone approaching a higher level of literature that may requires further analysis.

Accuracy/Authority/Bias: Oxford University Press has high standards and accuracy in their publications. They are a well-known name within the publishing community and are recognized by libraries across the world for their outstanding resources. In addition, the author is a professor of English at the University of London.

Arrangement/Presentation: In this 385 page book, over 1200 literary terms are defined, referenced within literature, with examples provided. Arranged alphabetically, the book is easy to navigate with greyed tabs visible on the side of the book.

Relation to other works: This would be a great addition to the dictionaries in the library because it goes beyond just defining the terms. The references and examples provided help students see the application of literary devices which could aide in comprehension.

Accessibility/Diversity: This book offers a strong amount of “see also” suggestions after most definitions. This continued reference will be of assistance to students who struggle with the concepts.

Cost: $21.72

Professional Review: Rosneck, K. (2009). The Oxford dictionary of literary terms book review. Choice, 46(6)1064.

[Zoe Blackburn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really useful guide in understanding all the technical language used in criticism that can seem overwhelming or obscure. It teaches you the difference between zeugma and syllepsis, travesty and tragedy, and gives examples of authors and important works that have used each particular device. Not only do you get an overview of literary theory and essential ideas within literature like structuralism and postcolonialism, you also get an idea of the key authors/books in the canon. The precision of language it gives you is incredibly rewarding and worth the 400 painful pages of definitions - I can now call Miguel de Cervantes' Don Quixote a 'travesty of chivalric romance' instead of a parody-of-knights-on-horses. Yay!

[Aziz Qaissi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chris Baldick's "The Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms" is one of the stunning works that ultimately shall help Literary students, or, as we may phrase it, the Literture Community, to have an insight into the Literary Theory and its major components. Through the very detailed definitions the Dictionary offers, one can highly have a better understanding of the elements of Literature and the literary work, and, of-course, their development through history. Plus, the book provides a wide range of the terms belonging to criticism and the Literary movements.
It is, indeed, a reliable source to bank on.

[Irene Kaloyannis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book cover-to-cover like a novel. That's how fascinating it is.

[jacky · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the cover of my book looks more like a different ISBN number, this is the match. I have several of this book in my classroom and it has proved useful in teaching the students various literary terms.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this dictionary like a book! I was mostly looking for definitions of alliteration, chiasmus, personification, and so on. I learned a lot about the schools of literary criticism, various genres of writing, and poetry, as well!

[Dena Guzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

can't go wrong here. I turn to this book when I have writer's block and can't think of a poem to write. It's like a very definitive muse to me.

[StrangeBedfellows · Rating 2 out of 5]

��I recommend this book to beginner English/literature students; it's a good reference when trying to make sense of all those -isms.

[Hannah Mccarney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent point of call for any novel terminology a student may come across on their intellectual journeys

[Muriel McIvor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Always useful.

[Muriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Does what it says on the tin!

[Boyd Hamulondo]

GOOD

[Jade · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you're studying English Literature and you don't need to use this book then you're very smart.

[S. Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A handy reference for anybody interested in literary criticism.

[Eugenio Fouz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great companion book for literature scholars. Rich, diverse, easy

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent companion to my degree

[Timothy Sharkey]

From Oxford University. Available practically everywhere. For literature and writing students. The Penguin Dictionary of Literary Terms (by J. A. Cuddon) is also good.

[Josie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book to dip in and out of when needed.

[John Devlin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Every literary term, its origins, and how its used makes for an enlightening read.