【外文文献---社会学和人类学】Delahunty et al - The Oxford Dictionary of Allusions.pdf

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THE OXFORD
DICTIONARY OF
ALLUSIONS
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Allusions form a colourful extension to the English language, drawing
on our collective knowledge of literature, mythology, and the Bible to
provide us with a literary shorthand for describing people, places, and
events. So a miser is a Scrooge, a strong man is a Samson or a Hercules,
a beautiful woman is a Venus or a modern-day Helen of Troy—we can
suffer like Sisyphus, fail like Canute, or linger like the smile of the
Cheshire Cat.
pletely new reference work explains the meanings of the
allusions in use in modern English, from Abaddon to Zorro, Tartarus to
Tarzan, and Cinderella to Rambo. The book is based on an extensive
reading programme that has identified the monly-used
allusions, and a wealth of quotations are included to illustrate usage,
drawn from a range of authors and sources, from Thomas Hardy to Ben
Elton, Charles Dickens to Bridget Jones's Diary.
ISBN 0-19-860031-3
OXTORD
UNIVERSITY PRESS
780198 600312">
£ RRP $ USA
Andrew Delahunty, Sheila Dignen, and
Penny Stock are all freelance lexicographers
with many years experience in writing
dictionaries and other reference works.
Between them they have worked on a wide
range of books including dictionaries
for adults, children, and those learning
English as a foreign language. This book
grew out of their shared interest in the
subject of allusions.
Jacket illustration: Echo and Narcissus, 1903, by
John William Waterhouse, Walker Art Gallery,
Liverpool/Bridgeman Art Library. Board of Trustees:
National Museums & Galleries on Merseyside.
Classic dictionaries from Oxford:
THE OXFORD
DICTIONARY OF PHRASE
& FABLE
Edited by
Elizabeth Knowles
A major reference work, diis book provides a wealth
of fascinating and informative background detail for
over 20,000 phrases used in English today. From
Barbie doll to the seven-league boots,