The Chambers Dictionary > Reviews (2)

How may times , for example when writing ops. such as this , have you come to put finger to key , and thought , ‘oh hell, how do you spell xxxxx’ , where xxxxx is the relevant word . Most of us don’t even care , thinking how lucky we are to have spell checkers !

But spell checkers aren’t always that good , and not always available , for example doing a crossword , or writing that important letter by hand ( oh how demeaning in a modern world ! ) , and sometimes the use of a dictionary ( n, a book containing the words of a language alphabetically arranged with their meanings , etymology , etc. ) is essential .

But which do you choose , there are so many , amongst the better known names are Chambers , Oxford , Collins & Websters .

I chose the latest edition of ‘The Chambers Dictionary’ . If you believe the blurb , and I for one do not refute it , then you are buying “the largest , best-selling and most comprehensive single-volume English dictionary” available, with over 215,000 references and over 3000,000 definitions. Additionally , this dictionary is the official reference source for the board game Scrabble - if a word is in here , then it is allowable !!! As for Chambers , well they have been producing dictionaries , encyclopedias and other references books for almost 200 years - some experience you might say !

So what do you get for your money (n coin , pieces of stamped metal used as a trading medium ; any currency used in the same way ; wealth )

Pages i - xxxix ( see later ) - the likes of dictionary layout explained , preface , brief history of English , it variation and change . American and other varieties , rules of spelling etc. etc. . In them selves these make an interesting read , and are well worth looking at .

Pages 1 - 1953 - the alphabet from ‘A’ - ‘Zythum’

Pages 1957 - 1984 - appendices . Again a wealth of information , and deserving an explanation in itself . Topics covered here include :

Some first names - hey mine is Celtic , meaning uncertain !

Useful phrases & quotations from Greek , Latin etc. ( incidentally , the title of this op translates as ‘ from one learn all ‘ .

Roman numerals : i-xxxix = 1-39 . My age is xxxviii ( you work it out or buy the book)

Plays of Shakespeare ( The Two gentlemen of Verona ( 1590/1) - Henry VIII ( 1613) )

Quantities , conversions and sizes....

In fact all the things you were once taught at school but over time have simply forgotten .

Quite simply this is the only reference dictionary you could ever want . As for how to get one , well any good book shop ( WH Smith , Ottakars etc. ) , or alternatively if you are an ipoints / mypoints collector , then why not earn points by linking via your site to TSP.com , and order 3 books without commitment ( other than to receive their monthly book magazine , without obligation for a minimum of 6 months , with no commitment to purchase anything ) for just £1.00 each - YEP - I bought the Chambers dictionary and it cost me just £1.00 - UNBELIEVABLE .