Facts on File Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases

by Martin H. Manser

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.

Genres: Reference, Language

432 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2002

About the author

Martin Manser is a professional reference-book editor. Since 1980 he has compiled or edited nearly 200 reference books. He has also compiled and edited many titles that encourage Bible reading.

Reviews

[Adam Balshan · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars [Lexicon]
Below average writing, slightly notable use, average truth or reference quality.

A nice book to reference, but a much better one could have been published. The example passages from literature are a nice touch, but Manser fills the book with ones that are mundane, a waste of space, and often from the 1800s (since many have since become idiomatic English). Very few example passages seem to have been carefully picked.