Product Description

Now for the first time, the eighth, and current, edition of Partridge's renowned dictionary will be available in paperback. Originally published in 1984, this dictionary was published posthumously but had been worked upon by Partridge until six weeks before his death. Its place in the history of the lexicography of slang is assured as the last edition to feature original work by Partridge himself. This paperback edition features a new forword by David Crystal, Honorary Professor at the University of Wales, writer, editor, and broadcaster.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #201918 in Books
• Published on: 2002-11-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 1432 pages

Review
`Endlessly fascinating: quirkish, illuminating, and instructive. To browse in it is like eating peanuts: addictive to the extreme. If one must limit an appraisal of Partridges torrential work to but one adjective, the choice is a breeze: stupendous. - Leo Rosten, Encounter

`Massive and endlessly fascinating. - Paul Davies, Mail on Sunday

`Paul Beales eighth edition preserves the emphasis and lightly worn pedantry of earlier editions and enhances the works usefulness with a single alphabetical listing, more systematic internal arrangement of entries, and of course more recent material. - The Years Work in English Studies

A most fascinating book; an archaeological museum, a veritable Madame Tussaud's of the vulgar language. It is a really epoch-making, monumental piece of work, carried out with astonishing industry and learning.
–New Statesman

About the Author
Eric Honeywood Partridge renowned philologist, etymologist and lexicographer, dedicated his life to the study of language but it is for his work on slang, and in particular his flagship dictionary, The Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English, that he is most widely remembered and admired.

Customer Reviews

The most entertaining of dictionaries
Both informative and fun to read, the Dictionary contains both definitions and word history for ALL levels of colloquial English. Unlike other dictionaries of the sort, it includes even words that were colloquial or slang once.

Before I read it I didn't realise that history of words could be so entertaining. E. Partridge has presented a hoard of entertaining information in an entertaining way.

Even if you know all the English there is to know, the Dictionary is full of word stories you might still like to read. Do you know how the organ representing human courage over the centuries went all the way from heart to pluck, down to guts and below?

I haven't checked the facts for a few years, but it still may be the largest collection of slang and colloquial terms for ANY slanguage

You probably know some words that don't appear in this compendium, but not very many
Wonderful piece of work, a standard in its field, but a time thief: bet you can't look up just one ...