Norman W. Schur (1907–1992)

As an Australian, I was curious as to how much of our language had British as proposed to American origins. It seems that there is more American usage than I expected. But it was not conclusive, because it is unclear how common some of the idiomatic expressions are. (And I struggle to think that anyone would call themselves a Brownite these days.)

Reading a dictionary cover to cover is probably not the best entertainment (The Devil's Dictionary excepted). And if you encounter an unfamiliar word you are better off going to a conventional dictionary.

The descriptions we tend to be variable in length and quality. I stopped when it told me that a "bun" (Br) is the same as a "squirrel" (Am) with no further explanation. I have gone away puzzled. Are we talking about a bread roll, a hairstyle or a small furry animal (perhaps a bunny)? I went to Google, but this seems to defeat the purpose of having a "definitive guide" to British English.… (más)

I bought this book figuring I'd maybe browse through it a bit and then sit it on the reference shelf, but Anglophile and lover of language that I am, once I started flipping through it I found it interesting enough that I ended up keeping it out on my kitchen counter and reading it through a page or two at a time over the course of several months.

It is, as the title suggests, a dictionary of British English for Americans. And it really was interesting to peruse, partly because now I am finally able to remember whether a Brit means 6:30 or 7:30 when they say "half seven", partly because it was fun and interesting to boggle at some of the differences that made me wonder how on earth we ever manage to communicate with each other at all, partly because it's written with fun little touches of humor, and partly because I found it bemusing to note how many expressions that I find perfectly familiar and natural are flagged here as specifically British, and how many of the American translations weren't familiar and natural-feeling to me. Which is no doubt a testament to how varied America dialects are, and to how much American and British dialects have influenced each other.

Anyway, it seems likely to be very useful for the American reader encountering unfamiliar or confusing British terms. Probably a bit less so for American writers looking to write dialog for British characters effectively, as simply reading the entries surely won't always give you a good idea about who is likely to use the expressions in what contexts (although the author does often include some notes on that sort of thing). There are also appendices at the back covering topics including specialized vocabulary (like cricket terms or parts of a car), weights and measures, weird place name pronunciations, and some general systematic differences between American and British English. All of which made my head spin, skimming through it, but which could be very useful when it's needed, as a lot of it seems like might be hard to figure out how to search for on the internet.… (más)

According to the subtitle, this book is "entertaining" and "fun and instructive". It is, from "a fortiori" to "zeugma".

But sometimes it does get bogged down in origins, derivations and ostentatious definitions. You must pay attention. You can end up reading a quarter page description and still miss the definition. Definitions and examples could be made a bit more clear, concise. This would help to keep the eyes from glazing over.

Take it and small bits and like some other books that are must reads - [How to Read a Book] comes to mind - stay with it. It may not always be entertaining, but it is good for you.… (más)