The Concise New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English » (New Edition)

Tom Dalzell is a lawyer, slang-collector and author. Recognised as a leading expert on American Slang, he is the author of Flappers to Rappers: American Youth Slang (Merriam-Webster 1996) and The Slang of Sin (Merriam-Webster 1998).

Terry Victor is not only a slang-collector, but also an actor, broadcaster, writer and director. He is probabaly best known for his ground-breaking work with Murder on the Menu, which he co-founded in 1989.

The Concise New Partridge presents, for the first time, all the slang terms from The New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English in a single volume.

With over 60,000 entries from around the English-speaking world, the Concise gives you the language of beats, hipsters, Teddy Boys, mods and rockers, hippies, pimps, druggies, whores, punks, skinheads, ravers, surfers, Valley girls, dudes, pill-popping truck drivers, hackers, rappers and more.

The Concise New Partridge is a spectacular resource infused with humour and learning—it’s rude, it’s delightful and it’s a prize for anyone with a love of language.

James Langan Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information - School Library Journal

This is a smaller version of Dalzell and Victor's 2006 New Partridge Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English(LJ5/15/06). Unlike its predecessor, a two-volume, 2000-plus-page tome, the Conciseedition is a much slimmer-and also more affordable-one-volume work. In addition to all the slang terms included in the previous publication, the editors have added several hundred new words to this dictionary, for a total of over 60,000 entries. Arranged alphabetically, the dictionary lists the word or phrase, the part of speech, a brief definition, sometimes the history of the phrase, the originating country, and an approximate date of origin. Phrases are chosen from numerous English-speaking countries, including the United States, the U.K., South Africa, and even Antarctica. Some of the terms have become international, while others have not migrated from their country of origin. Also, while some phrases have dropped out of common usage, other words are still understood after several centuries. All the slang terms from the previous book have been preserved, but the smaller format requires certain concessions. Although the headword is easily legible in bold print, the font becomes progressively smaller as you move through the citation. Readers may find the date difficult to read. The full-scale edition also cites examples of the phrase used in documentaries, movies, fiction, or literature.

List of Contributors. Preface. Acknowledgments. Observations of Slang and Unconventional English. Entries A-Z. Numeric Slang