Review of The American Heritage Deluxe Reference Set [DELUXE EDITION] (Hardcover)

I bought this dictionary because I was in need of a collage level dictionary.
I think dictionary is very good i have it for more than 6 months now as long as i remember there is just one word i couldn't find in it.
The overall quality of the book and the cover is more than acceptable.
I gave 4 star because I found a similar one better price after i bougnt this.



Click Here to see more reviews about: The American Heritage Deluxe Reference Set [DELUXE EDITION] (Hardcover)

Review of The American Heritage Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition: A Compilation of Today's Acronyms and Abbreviations Including Cyberspeak (American Heritage Books) (Hardcover)

I always wondered what AT&T stands for and when I bought THE AMERICAN HERITAGE ABBRIVIATIONS DICITIONARY I found out what it meant, American Telephone & Telegraph Business.These and other everyday abbriviations you come accross can be disphered by this small interesting dictionary.I truly recommend it.



Click Here to see more reviews about: The American Heritage Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition: A Compilation of Today's Acronyms and Abbreviations Including Cyberspeak (American Heritage Books) (Hardcover)

Review of The American Heritage® College Dictionary, Fourth Edition Deluxe [DELUXE EDITION] (Hardcover)

BACKGROUND
I purchased this dictionary based on my experience with two older H-M dictionaries: the H-M Canadian Dictionary from 1982 and the American Heritage 3rd edition; for the most part I prefer the former.

APPEARANCE
I anticipate that anyone who first holds this beautiful example of book making will be as delighted as I was. From the deep red linen cover with its gold lettering, to layout of the entries, to the crisp resolution of both text and images, this dictionary is drop dead gorgeous. Similarly, its size and weight make it both comfortable and satisfying to hold.

CONTENTS
The amount of words is excellent for its size, thanks to H-M's choice of Minion as the body font (one of my favorites!). The definitions are clear and the etymologies are throrough. Usage notes, synonomy paragraphs and the like all add to the richness of browsing through this dictionary; that combined with the visual presentation of the entries and the addition of photos make this a very pleasant dictionary to browse through. In other words, it invites one to explore its pages, as opposed to just being used as a reference for when you want to look up a word.

EXTRAS
Other nice features which expand on the dictionary's encyclopedic character are the addition of several charts and tables, as well as some fascinating appendicies on the Indo-European roots of English and other languages.

SUMMARY
This is a dictionary for those who love to explore the riches of our language. It has ample entries, whose meanings, pronunciations and etymologies are all clearly articulated, as well as being (arguably) the most beautiful dictionary available today. Highly recommended.



Click Here to see more reviews about: The American Heritage® College Dictionary, Fourth Edition Deluxe [DELUXE EDITION] (Hardcover)

Review of The American Heritage High School Dictionary, Fourth Edition (Hardcover)

I was looking for an Amarican dictionary that could see my 7 year old son through college. I scanned the Amazon and read in detail about all available dictionaries and made this choice. Now I am using it myself also.

It presents works broken into syllables and the pronunciation keyis provided on every page. This makes correcting pronunciation easy.

Itis partially illustrated. This makes it pleasant to read.

Although it isthick, it is light. This is an important consideration for students.

Thebinding is strong, so is the paper. I am sure it will see my son throughcollege.



Click Here to see more reviews about: The American Heritage High School Dictionary, Fourth Edition (Hardcover)

Review of The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Editon: Print a nd CD-ROM Edition (.) (Hardcover)

Any lover of the English language should never be satisfied with just one dictionary in his library; all have their own strengths, weaknesses, peculiarities, biases and feel. Essentially, your decision rests between two ends of a spectrum: the Oxford English Dictionary and The American Heritage Dictionary -- regardless of which side of the pond you reside -- and a Webster's dictionary somewhere in the middle.

The AHD represents the cutting edge in American lexicography. It's hip, it's cool, and it's filled with color photos. It includes brand new verbs such as "google". It's a great book to sit down with and browse through for hours, and it is a lot of fun.

I use the American Heritage Dictionary quite a bit in my research, however I find myself asking the question; "what is the purpose of a dictionary?" Is it to preserve the English language and grammar or to simply be a repository of all the words and quirky expressions that are spoken? The AHD seems to be an advocate of the latter. Its "Our Living Language" usage notes give credence and validate dialect such as "y'all" (you all), "ax" (ask) and the continual overuse of "like" as being conversation filler. (It's not just for teenagers anymore!)

It is worthwhile to look through the list of people who comprise the Usage Panel on the American Heritage Dictionary, an eclectic (questionable?) mix of individuals to say the least: the late Carl Sagan, Molly Ivins, Robin Cooke M.D., and others including film critics, poets, and even radio commentators. Throughout the AHD there is a disconcerting acceptance of non-standard English and, as other reviewers have noted, a heavy amount of political correctness. Ultimately, this dictionary does a remarkable job of presenting current American English usage as spoken, for better or for worse.

At the opposite end of your dictionary purchase decision is the behemoth Oxford English Dictionary: the "Concise" version being comparable in size (and cost) to the American Heritage Dictionary. Here we have the keeper of our mother tongue, with a more stringent adherence to grammar -- some might say to the point of being stodgy. However, if you are concerned with the degradation of English and wish to preserve its usage and write "correctly", the OED is the better choice. Like the AHD, the Concise OED is a lot of fun to sit with and browse. Its many usage notes will clarify and take a stand on common confusions, such as "media" being a plural noun, whereas the American Heritage Dictionary seems to have given up fighting that battle and recognizes current vernacular. Which is right? I'm not sure. I like the flexibility of the AHD, but find myself referring to the OED just as often, especially in matters of grammar.

So my recommendation is to own both dictionaries if you are a true lover of English and are the type of geek like me who enjoys reading a dictionary without having anything in particular to look up. The AHD is a really cool book -- the color photos and layout make it more than worth the purchase price -- and it is on top of all language trends, slang, and dialects within the United States. The OED is to be revered and relished for its love of the language and its desire to preserve it.

Or, if you prefer, at times the American Heritage Dictionary seems flaky, and at times the Oxford English Dictionary seems stuffy.

And if you merely need to look up words from time-to-time and aren't interested in linguistic controversy, any of the Webster's line of dictionaries will make a fine, and more affordable choice.




Click Here to see more reviews about: The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Editon: Print a nd CD-ROM Edition (.) (Hardcover)