REFERENCE

The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English

2d ed. 2 vols. Routledge. (Dictionary of Slang & Unconventional English). 2013. 3741p. ed. by Tom Dalzell & . bibliog. ISBN 9780415619493. $320. REF
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The "new" aspect of this dictionary is highlighted in this second edition. Many of the 1,000 new entries, from a total of 60,000, are related to social networking and are terms that have emerged since the December 2005 first edition. Also new is an online version of the resource to which readers can subscribe. Enhanced content distinguishes this edition in two other chief ways: citations and dating. For example, some entries from the first edition now have two or three additional citations. Additional dating information and editorial glosses (explanations) have been added. However, important aspects of this dictionary have not changed: the same six professional linguists have supported the editors, the same focus remains (to document slang from the period after World War II), and the same layout of the entries is retained. Both focus and layout set the resource apart from Green's Dictionary of Slang. Most entries are more brief in New Partridge than in Green's work, owing to Green's heavier emphasis on etymology and providing numerous citations. This resource, on the other hand, allows more coverage of certain areas, such as U.S. military slang from the Vietnam era. New Partridge's layout is less dense and the type larger to encourage the scanning and browsing so enjoyable to many readers. In contrast, the newly available online version's search options enable more sophisticated searching. Efficient updating of the database will foster the editors' niche—documenting recent words.
VERDICT Recommended for language students because of its emphasis and commitment to documenting recent slang.
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