Harper Collins Italian College Dictionary

Rating:
Summary: Studying italian can be a pleasure, and your homework easier
Review: I bought this dictionary a few years ago, when I started studying Italian, and I found that it was excellent. Now, after reaching an intermediate level, I still consider it is outstanding, but I need to combine it with an Italian-Italian dictionary (I bought "Il Nuovo Zingarelli Minore Vocabolario Della Lingua Italiana") in order to obtain the results I desire.

The "Harper Collins Italian College Dictionary" is a wonderful tool, that will help you to achieve your aim of learning Italian. To start with, it is a fully bilingual dictionary, from beginning to end: even the instructions regarding how to use it are both in Italian and in English. Secondly, this edition has been revised and updated in the year 2000, and many entries have been added. For instance, now you can find explanations (in English and Italian) about what means "eco - friendly" or "virtual reality".

What is more, the pronunciation of the words is pointed out to the reader, using the International Phonetic Alphabet. However, that is not what I found more useful. My favorite part in this dictionary was the section where you can find examples of formal and informal letters, job applications and curriculum vitaes. Particular attention is also payed in that section to essay writing. The authors promise that you'll find "extended examples demonstrating techniques for structuring, developing and concluding a reasoned argument", and they are telling the truth. Needless to say, the section is also in both languages, so you can use it to learn how to write better in Italian and in English. Your teacher is highly likely to be pleasantly surprised, and you'll realise that your homework is quite easier.

Finally, another of the features of this dictionary that I liked is that it puts together phrases you can say in different situations, for example phrases adequate for suggestions, advice, offers, requests, comparisons, opinions, obligation, agreement, likes and dislikes, approval and disapproval, obligation and permission. The translation from one language to the other is not always literal, because the authors wanted to preserve the meaning of the phrases. They say that they know that "putting one's ideas into another language is apt to be an awkward and frustrating process, resulting in clumsy constructions and a distorted version of what one wants to say", and they have tried to remedy that, by releasing this dictionary.

On the whole, I heartily recommend this dictionary to both the beginner and intermediate student of Italian. So far, I haven't reached the advanced level, but I have the suspicion that I'll find it useful even then. If you can, also buy an Italian-Italian dictionary, because it will complement this dictionary beautifully...

Belen Alcat

Rating:
Summary: Less useful than others
Review: THis big dictionary is the perpetual 2nd choice in our household: it is clumsy to find the right word, somewhat out of date, and poorly covers slang. So we only use it when we know we must wander in it in frustration.

Tepidly recommended. Oxford dictionaries are far better.

Rating:
Summary: Finally, An Italian English Dictionary with IPA
Review: This is the first substantial Ital/Eng dicitonary to use the International Phonetic Alphabet in its Italian section. Most previous dictionaries have some sort of arcane system of pronunciation with a "dot for an open vowel" or a "cedille for a voiced consonant." This dictionary is invaluable to singers and students of voice who must continually be on the alert for which e and o vowels are open or closed! Very highly recommended.