"One look will convince you of the value of this work!"
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English-French Digest of Social Terms by Bill St. Amour Trafford Publishing
book review by John Roper
The world's bookshelves are stuffed with various dictionaries, grammar guides, and phrase books on the French language. To stand out among such a collection a book has to provide a different take on the subject. St. Amour's practical guide to English and French social terms does just that, successfully carving out its own unique niche in the market.
ulling items from over 100 French books, St. Amour has crafted a compilation of over 15,000 words and phrases taken from a variety of social realms including the military, the scientific world, and the medical and legal professions. A typical page may offer up a French translation for the National Organization of Women (NOW) as well as a series of linked entries describing terms with the word "nuclear" in them. At first glance the book appears to be misnamed because of the preponderance of short, dictionary-like entries, but closer inspection reveals the more in-depth items and explanations that earn the book its "digest"moniker.
Possibly one of the finer aspects of the digest is the element of surprise the author brings by including intriguing yet uncommon information. For example, the entries under "aircraft"not only offer the expected translations of associated words such as "carrier" and "drone" but also a detailed chart of specific plane types from WWII fighters to modern jumbo jets. Other welcome additions are the helpful translations in the Glossary of Historical Dates and the Proper Names section. These assets of out-of-the-ordinary phrases and fascinating tidbits are what raise St. Amour's work from being just another reference book to one that can be browsed through for enjoyment.