HomeGroupsTalkMoreZeitgeist
Search Site
This site uses cookies to deliver our services, improve performance, for analytics, and (if not signed in) for advertising. By using LibraryThing you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your use of the site and services is subject to these policies and terms.

Results from Google Books

Click on a thumbnail to go to Google Books.

Loading...

Le Mot Juste: A Dictionary of Classical and Foreign Words and Phrases (1980)

by John Buchanan-Brown

MembersReviewsPopularityAverage ratingMentions
309585,868 (3.93)4
Tired of making faux pas because you don't know the difference between sub rosa and sub voce? Then this lexicon is a bona fide desideratum. Simply and concisely, it clarifies hundreds of words and phrases from Greek, Latin, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, and Yiddish that have become part of the English language but are often confused or misused. Along with its definition, every term is accompanied by a phonetic guide to its pronunciation. Plus, there's an appendix of words derived from classical mythology -- such as delphic, erotic, laconic, odyssey, and thespian -- and two comprehensive lists of Greek and Latin prefixes and suffixes. The result is a sui generis (Latin, SU-ee GEN-er-is, unique, in a class itself) Meisterstuck (German, MY-ster-shtook, masterpiece) of lexicography that's guaranteed to give cognoscenti or naifs a greater understanding of the English language and its foreign borrowings.… (more)
  1. 10
    Oxford Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases by Andrew Delahunty (bluepiano)
    bluepiano: The title of my edition of this is actually From Bonbon to Cha-Cha, but in any case someone who's read Le Mot Juste for pleasure rather than as reference should adore it. It's nearly 400 pages of entries and provides etymologies, many of them gee-whiz-fascinating.… (more)
None
Loading...

Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book.

No current Talk conversations about this book.

» See also 4 mentions

Showing 5 of 5
recommended by Common Reader - oh how I miss their catalog! ( )
  Overgaard | Jan 25, 2021 |
I looked through parts. This book sold lots on front counter of a store i worked in in 1982 in Berkeley. was best-seller for us. ( )
  Bruce_Deming | Feb 5, 2016 |
Alphabetical listings, divided by major language - Latin, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Misc. Separate appendices for major mythology references. ( )
  MerryMary | Aug 20, 2008 |
Again i was in search of a Yiddish dictionary or phrase book, this covers some Yiddish as well as some Italian, Greek, and German ( )
  gree | Nov 10, 2005 |
Dictionary of classical and foreight words and phrases
  YOGISMOM | Oct 31, 2009 |
Showing 5 of 5
no reviews | add a review
You must log in to edit Common Knowledge data.
For more help see the Common Knowledge help page.
Canonical title
Original title
Alternative titles
Original publication date
People/Characters
Important places
Important events
Related movies
Epigraph
Dedication
First words
Introduction: When Sam Goldwyn, from the deck of his liner, called out bon voyage to his friends on the receding shore, he got it nearly right, but not quite.
Quotations
Last words
(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)
Disambiguation notice
Publisher's editors
Blurbers
Original language
Canonical DDC/MDS
Canonical LCC

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English

None

Tired of making faux pas because you don't know the difference between sub rosa and sub voce? Then this lexicon is a bona fide desideratum. Simply and concisely, it clarifies hundreds of words and phrases from Greek, Latin, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, and Yiddish that have become part of the English language but are often confused or misused. Along with its definition, every term is accompanied by a phonetic guide to its pronunciation. Plus, there's an appendix of words derived from classical mythology -- such as delphic, erotic, laconic, odyssey, and thespian -- and two comprehensive lists of Greek and Latin prefixes and suffixes. The result is a sui generis (Latin, SU-ee GEN-er-is, unique, in a class itself) Meisterstuck (German, MY-ster-shtook, masterpiece) of lexicography that's guaranteed to give cognoscenti or naifs a greater understanding of the English language and its foreign borrowings.

No library descriptions found.

Book description
Haiku summary

Current Discussions

None

Popular covers

Quick Links

Rating

Average: (3.93)
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5 1
3 6
3.5
4 17
4.5 1
5 5

Is this you?

Become a LibraryThing Author.

 

About | Contact | Privacy/Terms | Help/FAQs | Blog | Store | APIs | TinyCat | Legacy Libraries | Early Reviewers | Common Knowledge | 207,122,566 books! | Top bar: Always visible