The field of humanitarianism is characterised by profound uncertainty, by a constant need to respond to the unpredictable, and by concepts and practices that often defy simple or straightforward explanation. Humanitarians often find themselves not just engaged in the pursuit of effective action, but also in a quest for meaning. That is the starting point for this book. Humanitarian action has in recent years confronted geopolitical challenges that have upended much of its conventional modus operandi and presented threats to its foundational assumptions and legal frameworks. The critical interrogation of the purpose, practice and future of humanitarian action has yielded a rich new field of enquiry, humanitarian studies, and many thoughtful books, articles and reports. So, the question arose as to the most useful way to provide a critical overview that might serve to bring some definitional clarity as well as analytical rigor to the waves of critique and shifting sands of humanitarian action. Humanitarianism: A Dictionary of Concepts provides an authoritative analysis that attempts to rethink, rather than merely problematize or define the issues at stake in contemporary humanitarian debates. It is an important moment to do so. Just about every tenet of humanitarianism is currently open to question as never before.

The cowboy — that enigmatic, larger-than-life icon of our culture —has long been considered a figure of fast hands, steel nerves, and few words. But according to Ramon Adams, cowboys, once among themselves, enjoyed a vivid, often boisterous repartee. You might say that around a campfire they could make more noise than “a jackass in a tin barn.” Here in one volume is a complete guide to cowboy-speak. Like many of today’s foreign language guides, this handy book is organized not alphabetically but situationally, lest you find yourself in Texas at a loss for words. There are sections on the ranch, the cowboy’s duties, riding equipment, the roundup, roping, branding, even square dancing. There are words and phrases you’ll recognize because they’ve filtered into everyday language — “blue lightnin’,” “star gazin’,” “the whole shebang” — plus countless others that, sadly, are seldom heard in current speech: “lonely as a preacher on pay night,” “restless as a hen on a hot griddle,” “crooked as a snake in a cactus patch.” As entertaining as it is authoritative, COWBOY LINGO captures the living speech of the Great Plains and serves as a window into the soul of the American West.

This book presents a detailed explanation of the essential facts of dictionaries in general. It includes information on the origin of English dictionaries and the authority and choice of a dictionary.

This fully updated edition offers over 120,000 words, phrases, and definitions. It covers all the words you need for everyday use, carefully selected from the evidence of the Oxford English Corpus, a databank of 21st century English, containing over 2 billion words.The Factfinder centre section gives quick-reference entries on topics including famous people, countries, and science.
Discover more on oxforddictionaries.com, Oxford's hub for dictionaries and language reference.

Ideal for anyone interested in environmental issues, this dictionary draws together information from a variety of sources to better facilitate understanding of this wide-ranging subject. Detailed explanations help to promote clearer communication between professionals and provide a standardized reference point for technical translation, a quick-reference guide for researchers and professionals, and an invaluable knowledge base for cross-disciplinary readers from the fields of health, politics, economics and engineering.

Designed for practitioners, students and librarians, this book provides the definitions for over 4,000 abbreviations and acronyms in a format and design that makes the book exceptionally easy to use.

"Elsevier's Dictionary of Geographical Information Systems" contains 4,040 terms with about 1,700 cross-references that are commonly used in the theory and practice of geographical information systems. The terms were selected according to their significance or frequency of use. The terminology covers the areas of geoinformatics, geostatistics, computer cartography, geospatial databases, computer graphics, geodesy, photogrammetry, remote sensing, hardware and software for introduction, processing and visualization of geospatial data, etc. Geographical information systems are modern, widely distributed and strategic tools in many human activities (land survey and regulation, ecology, forestry, agronomy, demography, hydrology, urban planning, transport, etc.).

"Elsevier's Dictionary of Geographical Information Systems" will be a valuable tool for specialists, scientists and students and for everyone who is interested in this area.

The most comprehensive glossary to date of Hui Muslim terms and the first to fully match the Chinese term (stated in Chinese script and pinyin) to its Arabic or Persian counterpart (stated in Arabic script with Latin transcription).

Webster's American English Dictionary, Expanded Edition

This new edition provides definitions, pronunciations and variant spellings for the words that make up the core of the English language. Special sections provide useful information for readers and writers.

Features of this Book

40,000 clear, concise definitions

Common abbreviations

Special sections include:

- Biographical Names

- Geographical Names

- English Word Roots

- Basic English Grammar

The Ultimate Bible Dictionary is the perfect tool for those who are beginning to study the Bible. Carefully researched and accessible definitions are designed to provide a quick understanding of a term right up front and then, in many cases, go into more detail for those who want this level of description. The definitions are further enhanced by the large number of colorful maps, photos, and reconstructions of biblical objects placed on the same page spread as the definition they accompany. Carefully researched and accessible definitions Hundreds of colorful maps, photos, and reconstructions Concise trim size that is easy-to-carry Great for personal or group study The optimal size of the Ultimate Bible Dictionary makes it easy-to-carry and easy-to-use in personal study or group activities. This valuable resource will enhance your understanding of the people, places, objects, and events in the Bible for years to come.

The Devil's Dictionary (1906) is a work of satire by Ambrose Bierce. Although he is commonly remembered for his chilling short stories on the experiences of Civil War soldiers, Bierce was recognized in his day as a leading journalist and humorist who spent decades ruffling feathers and drawing laughter with his witty opinion columns, poems, and definitions. Toward the end of his career, he decided to compile these satirical definitions into a book, following in the footsteps of Samuel Johnson, Noah Webster, and Gustave Flaubert. Immensely popular upon publication, The Devil's Dictionary inspired countless imitators, but remains one-of-a-kind. Reading Bierce's definitions today, it's not hard to imagine the controversy they must have caused, matched only by the laughs they must have roused, when published at the onset of the twentieth century. Written during a period of undaunted industrial growth, of immense wealth and promise in a nation recently torn apart by civil war, The Devil's Dictionary preserves a tantalizing touch of irreverence and doubt which must remain funny to those who know humor when they sense it. "AIR, n. A nutritious substance supplied by a bountiful providence for the fattening of the poor." "CONSERVATIVE, n. A statesman who is enamoured of existing evils, as distinguished from the Liberal, who wishes to replace them with others." Crafted for the cynic, quoted by the misanthrope, Bierce's definitions prove profoundly entertaining and frequently accurate-sort of-over a century after they were published. With a beautifully designed cover and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Ambrose Bierce's The Devil's Dictionary is a classic of American literature reimagined for modern readers.

This unique work challenges the assumption that dictionaries act as objective records of our language, and instead argues that the English dictionary is a fundamentally ethnocentric work. Using theoretical, historical and empirical analyses, Phil Benson shows how English dictionaries have filtered knowledge through predominantly Anglo-American perspectives. The book includes a major case study of the most recent edition of the Oxford English Dictionary and its treatment of China.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203205715

Far more than a simple glossary, this unique resource provides a detailed lexicography of political and social life in China today, and deepens our understanding of the last twenty years of enormous change in the People's Republic. Each of the 1,600 entries (1) is rendered in Chinese characters; (2) is alphabetized according to pinyin, the Chinese phonetic alphabet; (3) is translated into English; and (4) is explained in terms of the situation in which it first appeared and how its meaning shifted over time. In addition to the main body of definitions and annotations, there are three appendices, abbreviations, a name index, and a bibliography.

This dictionary was produced in response to the rapidly increasing amount of quasi-industrial jargon in the field of information technology, compounded by the fact that these somewhat esoteric terms are often further reduced to acronyms and abbreviations that are seldom explained. Even when they are defined, individual interpretations continue to diverge.

Until now the codes have been reproduced in separate (language) publications: there is no universal listing in alphabetical order that covers the English, French, Spanish and German languages. This dictionary sets out the English, French, Spanish and German alternatives as a single, merge-sorted whole.

Today, most of the codes have passed into the public domain, simply because they exist in most of the telecommunications systems installed throughout the developed (and developing) world and are largely known to most of those who work in that particular area. However, foreign variants often defy even the most astute observer. This dictionary seeks to clarify this bewildering situation as much as possible. The 26,000 definitions set out here, drawn from some 16,000 individual cybernyms, cover computing, electronics, telecommunications (including intelligent networks and mobile telephony), together with satellite technology and Internet/Web terminology.

Annex I lists some of the innumerable file types found in the filing systems of computers using powerful desktop managers and Annex II lists the abbreviations of country names found in universal resource locators (URL).

"Elsevier's Dictionary of Cybernyms" is a useful tool for translators, students, universities and computer enthusiasts.

"Elsevier's Dictionary of Mathematics" contains 11,652 entries with more than 4,750 cross-references. Selection of the terms was based either on their significance or on their frequency of use according to authoritative encyclopedias, dictionaries and textbooks. Included are both modern developments and contemporary changes in terminology as well as recently established terms.

The terminology covers all the major branches from elementary to advanced subjects: arithmetic, algebra, geometry, set theory, discrete mathematics, logic, Boolean algebra, linear algebra, matrix algebra, calculus, differential equations, vector algebra, field theory, probability theory and statistics, optimization, numerical methods, mathematical programming, modern algebra, algebraic structures, computer algebra, category theory, applied mathematics, theory of automata and formal languages, theory of games, theory of graphs, as well as some commonly used entries in computer architecture, hardware, communications, system and application software, microprogramming, etc.

This work will provide readers, writers and translators with a guide of the most widely used terms and collections in the area, and will prove to be a useful tool for all professionals exploring the multilingual scientific terminology.

Dieses Woerterbuch basiert auf dem bewahrten Hebraischen und Aramaischen Lexikon zum Alten Testament von Koehler & Baumgartner. Es enthalt alle wesentlichen Informationen, die zum UEbersetzen der Hebraischen Bibel noetig sind. Die etymologischen Angaben sind auf dem aktuellen Stand der Semitistik. __________________________________ This dictionary is based on the Hebraisches und Aramaisches Lexikon zum Alten Testament by Koehler & Baumgartner. It provides the essential material for translating the whole of the Hebrew Bible. It also includes a completely updated set of etymological entries.

This multi-language dictionary covers the eight major Turkic languages: Turkish, Azerbaijani, Turkmen, Uzbek, Uighur, Kazakh, Kirgiz, and Tatar.
2000 headwords in English are translated into each of the eight Turkic languages. Words are organized both alphabetically and topically. Original script and Latin transliteration are provided for each language. For ease of use, alphabetical indices are also given for the eight languages.
This is an invaluable reference book for both students and learners and for those enaged in international commerce, research, diplomacy and academic and cultural exchange.

Muslims believe that the Koran is God's message in Arabic, revealed through the medium of the Prophet Muhammad for the guidance of the Arabs and subsequently for all humanity. There is both unity and variety in the Islamic world. Muslims are not a homogeneous people who can be explained solely by their normative texts: the Koran and the Sunnah. Muslims differ vastly in their interpretation of Islam: modernists want to reinterpret Islam to adapt to the requirements of modern times while traditionalists tend to look to the classical and medieval periods of Islam as their model of the Islamic state. This third edition of Historical Dictionary of Islam contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 700 cross-referenced entries on major sects, schools of theology, and jurisprudence, as well as aspects of Islamic culture. This book is an excellent resource for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about Islam.

This book presents a detailed explanation of the essential facts of dictionaries in general. It includes information on the origin of English dictionaries and the authority and choice of a dictionary.

Biology is an extensive subject that has undergone a vast expansion and so comprises not only such conventional aspects as taxonomy, morphology, biochemistry, functional physiology, and ecology, but also the rapidly expanding new fields of cell biology and molecular biology. This dictionary attempts to provide a comprehensive coverage of biological terms, recognising also that the interface between biology and other sciences, such as chemistry and physics as well as medicine, is becoming less distinct and includes terms from these other areas.

This book is intended especially for teachers and students of biology and other natural sciences, environmental sciences and medicine. College students, amateur biologists, journalists, translators and civil service officers will also find this a useful tool.

The relationship between the world's largest power and the small nations of the Caribbean has been and remains rich and varied. The history of political and security collaboration is long, if not untroubled: the United States is the Caribbean's predominant trade and investment partner, and U.S. culture is as pervasive in the region as are U.S. goods. At the same time, the proximity, smallness, and economic dependence of these countries have all contributed to a tendency for the United States to seek to dominate the region, often enough by resort to hard power. From the nineteenth century through the Cold War, the United States has resorted to military interventions and coercive diplomacy to ensure that this region, so close to its shores, remains stable and friendly. The Historical Dictionary of United States-Caribbean Relations contains a chronology, an introduction, appendixes, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 700 cross-referenced entries on important personalities, politics, economy, foreign relations, religion, and culture.

This is the reissued Oxford Mini Dictionary and Thesaurus. - now in an attractive new format.
This small dictionary and thesaurus offers the most accurate and up-to-date coverage of essential, everyday vocabulary with over 40,000 words, phrases, and definitions and 65,000 synonyms and antonyms based on evidence from the Oxford English Corpus, a unique databank comprising hundreds of millions of words of English. Definitions are easy to understand, given in a clear, simple style, and avoiding technical language. Thesaurus entries are integrated into the dictionary entries, so you can find synonyms and antonyms easily. The centre section provides extra help with spelling, grammar, and vocabulary.
Includes 3 months' access* to Oxford Dictionaries Online at oxforddictionaries.com.
*Terms and conditions apply; please see www.oxforddictionaries.com/access for information.

Published at a time of unprecedented growth of interest in translation, the Dictionary of Translation Studies aims to present the insights of a number of different approaches to translation in an unbiased, non-partisan way. With more than 300 articles, this essential volume provides the reader with a snapshot of a rapidly developing discipline, based on work produced in serveral languages. With a clear, easy-to-follow layout, the Dictionary provides a comprehensive and highly accessible survey of key terms and concepts (such as Abusive Translation, Equivalence, Informationsangebot, Minimax Principle, Texteme and Thick Translation), types of activity (Autotranslation, Dubbing, Signed Language Interpreting), and schools and approaches (Leipzig School, Manipulation School, Nitra School). Each term is presented within the context in which it first occurred and is given a definition which is both clear and informative. Major entries include a discussion of relevant viewpoints as well as comments on how the usage and application of the term have developed subsequent to its coining. In addition, all entries provide suggestions for further reading, and there is an extensive bibliography included at the end. This is an indispensable tool for anyone studying or teaching translation at university level.

The home of trusted English dictionaries and thesauruses for everyday language use. The perfect dictionary reference for daily use, with 200,000 words and phrases in a durable format. Language notes help you choose the right word and the easy-to-use layout allows you to find what you're looking for quickly. . Specially tailored to meet your needs at home, school, and in the office, offering comprehensive definitions and word tips to provide help with English usage. Find all the words and definitions you need, with coverage of the language we use every day. The clear layout ensures you can find the words you need quickly. Comes with an invaluable supplement on the most common mistakes and controversial issues in English.