American English Compendium - 4th Edition by Marv Rubinstein (Paperback)

About the Book

The American English Compendium is a fun way to explore the nuances of the English language-learn that a group of lions is called a pride; a group of whales, a pod; and a group of owls, a parliament. This edition offers fresh chapters which include spelling, punctuation, and p...

Book Synopsis

The American English Compendium is a fun way to explore the nuances of the English language--learn that a group of lions is called a pride; a group of whales, a pod; and a group of owls, a parliament. This edition offers fresh chapters which include spelling, punctuation, and pronunciation; and even Twitterspeak and other online vernacular.

Review Quotes

American English Compendium is a 'student friendly' collection of the many intricacies of the English language and the variable differences of American English from its British counterpart. A significant and informative reference for studying the English language, American English Compendium provides readers with an understanding and history of quotes, common proverbs, slogans, aphorisms, colloquialisms, medical terms, acronyms, abbreviations and much more. American English Compendium is very strongly recommended to all students of the English language, speakers both native and foreign to its vernacular.

Intended for translators, interpreters, writers, editors, and advanced students of language who are looking for explanations of American words, phrases, proverbs, expressions, and jargon, Rubinstein's (emeritus, English; Monterey Inst. of International Studies; 21st Century American English Compendium) resource fills the gap between the emergence of new words and their inclusion in standard dictionaries. This updated edition includes current Americanisms with explanations based upon cultural differences or 'knowledge of the historical, literary, and cultural background of Western civilization.' The chapters on proverbs and popular American expressions contain similar, identical, and contradictory proverbs and expressions, including foreign-language words and phrases (Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Norwegian, Russian, Spanish, and Yiddish) commonly appearing in American English. Entries also indicate whether a literal translation is acceptable. Slang and colloquialisms are organized by topic. Other chapters cover odd words (e.g., 'B4' for 'before'), retronyms, contronyms, neologisms, measurements, abbreviations (e.g., 'tnx' for thanks), acronyms, colors, currencies, and tech-related words. The index will include key words for proverbs, expressions, similes, and slang. . . .[T]he strength of this book is that it offers a guide to the most common, current, technical, idiosyncratic American proverbs, slang, and colloquialisms in a single, portable volume. Summing Up: More than a standard reference title, this work provides a fascinating look at the American English language and will also do well in circulating collections.

Rubinstein has assembled a friendly, accessible guide to the nuances, specialized terms, and other 'nooks and crannies' that make American English the vibrant, supple, quirky language it is today. Originally geared to translators, this compendium's audience has broadened over time; it can be used equally efficiently by international students and anyone seeking greater fluency. Since the last edition and the second, both titled 21st Century American English Compendium, the contents have been updated to include new vocabulary, with the acknowledgment that slang can quickly fall out of favor. The volume's organization is somewhat idiosyncratic, with separate chapters for popular expressions, proverbs, similes and metaphors, colloquialisms by category (animals, sports, food and drink, and the like), currencies, and common words and phrases from medicine, law, and business. Of particular usefulness is the coverage of British-American terminology differences and words from foreign languages appearing in English. . . .[I]t provides a wealth of up-to-date material on American-flavored English in a handy format. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above; general readers.

Useful and entertaining, this paperback provides a contrast and complement to more substantial reference books on American English like H.L. Mencken's American Language (4th ed., 1984) and Sidney I. Landau'a Cambridge Dictionary of American English (1999). Its arrangement is eclectic; the first chapter ('American Spoken Here-English Understood') devotes a considerable number of pages to comparisons of British and American synonyms. There are interesting chapters on colloquialisms-Australian, Indian, Irish, and South Africa-and special vocabularies in theater, sports, medicine, commerce, and education all with examples alphabetically arranged. This edition boasts new sections on colors and baby talk. Although it would be a useful addition to college or university libraries, this book is priced within reach of private collections, for which it is particularly recommended.

About the Author

Marv Rubinstein is a nonagenarian who has worked in many professional fields. Among other things, he served as an adjunct professor at the Monterey Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California, teaching a course called "Quixotic English" to translation and interpretation students. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Japan Times, the Village Voice, and many other publications. He lives in New York.