Cassell's Colloquial Italian: A Handbook of Idiomatic Usage : Formerly Beyond the Dictionary in Italian

By P.J.T. Glendening

Book Overview

Cassell's Colloquial Italian is one of a newly revised series of hand books which provide convenient and fascinating coverage of modern languages, and of the pitfalls and difficulties inherent in colorful, or idiomatic usage. Written with the knowledge and enthusiasm, each book is not only a valuable source of reference but is also an entertaining and absorbing portrait of the current state of language. Among the areas covered are: Common words with no exact equivalent in English, the dangerous words which look similar to English but mean something slightly or very different, spoken language, levels of meaning, and special language.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0020794401
• ISBN13: 9780020794400
• Release Date: March 1981
• Publisher: Collier Books
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 0.29 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 4.1" x 6.9"

Customer Reviews

italianophile

I have referred to this little book for many years. This explains many Italian terms and sayings that are not elaborated in the dictionary. These are terms such as "pantera" ( police car), which you see or hear in the news or "pure", a very Italian way of emphasizing an expression such as "prendelo pure' which would be "take it by all means". I have two problems with this book. The quality of the binding is poor, so it falls apart. It avoids off color or obscene terms. People do use them.