Book Description
This dictionary is an expansion of the ground-breaking ABC Chinese-English Dictionary, the first strictly alphabetically ordered and Pinyin computerized dictionary. It contains over 196,000 entries, compared to the 71,486 entries of the earlier work, making it the most comprehensive one-volume dictionary of Chinese.
The single-sort alphabetic order of the entries provides by far the simplest and fastest way to look up a term whose pronunciation is known. Radical charts help locate characters when the pronunciation of a term is not known and facilitate access to traditional, simplified, and variant forms of characters. Other distinctive features of this dictionary include: information on whether a character is free form, sometimes bound, or always bound; traditional character equivalents for preceding simplified characters for each entry where appropriate; measure words for particular nouns; data from both the PRC and Taiwan indicating the relative frequency of entries that are complete or partial homographs; unique one-to-one correspondence between transcription and characters that permits calling up on a computer the characters of any entry by simply typing the corresponding transcription.
Customer Reviews:
Average dictionary.......2007-05-12
Just like the advertisement: Computerized, like a computer print out. Lack of practical example use-in-a-sentence. Sometimes the translation can be very limited, offering not much help.
Indespensible, easy to use and comprehensive........2005-11-07
This dictionary is an indispensable dictionary for anyone who has any need for a Chinese-English dictionary. It is organized alphabetically by pinyin. Looking up a compound term is very easy. I know of no other Chinese-English dictionary that has so many compound entries or is so easy to use once the pinyin is known.
Another plus is it adheres to the National Standard of the People's Republic of China for Hanyu Pinyin Orthography. This means if you want to know the correct pinyin for a compound this dictionary is without peer. The rules for separating and joining words; rules for spelling fused phrase expressions are all given and adhered to. When I want to double check I have transliterated a Chinese term, book title or address correctly into pinyin this is the dictionary I use.
In the one year that I have been using this dictionary I have only come across a few twentieth century compounds that not listed in this dictionary. A very nice feature is the entries clearly state when a character is a bound form and can not appear alone (modern usage only).
There is no wasted space in this dictionary, each page is laid out in the traditional three column dictionary format. The characters and compounds are labeled as to parts of speech, whether it is a measure word or compound, what the area of usage is (Taiwan as well as PRC; slang, colloquial, linguistic, medical, legal, scientific, etc.) and whether it is chiefly in written material versus ordinary speech. Both simple and complex forms of the character are given.
The appendices contain conversion tables for Pinyin, Wade-Giles, Guoyeu Romatzyh, Yale and Zhuyin Fuhao; character look up tables by stroke count (sub-indexed by stroke type) and by radical index. Also a table of standard and variant character forms is given.
The typeface is modern, easy to read and is slightly larger than the type in my Webster's Third New International Dictionary. (I.e., the big dictionary found in all libraries that sits on top of a dictionary stand.)
I own at least a half dozen Chinese-English dictionaries (including some very specialized ones) and two Chinese-Chinese dictionaries and this dictionary is the one that I use the most. A huge improvement over older (but modern) Chinese-English dictionaries.
Good dictionary but..........2005-10-07
I'm very happy about the sheer number of entries, I don't think there are many others like this one. The problem is (and for me it is a main issue) that you cannot roam the entries by characters. That's a big drawback, so unless you know the pyinin it will take ages to find what you're looking for. So I am now returning this dictionary and still looking for another one, where once you found the radical, you can find the word by character first.
Great Dictionary, though not best solution for classroom.......2005-09-08
I bought this dictionary based on the rave reviews here. I was not disappointed. My biggest problem with other dictionaries has been that I invariably come across a word that isn't in the dictionary. I haven't looked something up in this one yet that I haven't found. The drawbacks mentioned in other reviews apply (can't roam the entries by character, and you have to know what you're looking for) but they aren't show stoppers. I find that for organized study this is an excellent dictionary to keep on the shelf.
As for classroom use, I've used Oxford and Langenscheidt because they're smaller and easier to carry to class. But they routinely dissapoint because they just don't have enough entries. A better solution is PlecoDict [...] a Palm-based dictionary that includes the entire contents of the ABC dictionary as well as one other C-E dictionary and two E-C dictionaries! All this for $120 and it fits in your pocket!
Bottom line is that this is an outstanding dictionary (a must-have) but the print format has drawbacks, thus the 4-star rating.
An essential dictionary.......2005-09-01
One can see from the credits page towards the start that quite a team went into putting this dictionary together. Other than the editor John DeFrancis himself, there are five associate editors, four editorial associates, two computer associates and twelve proofreading associates (two of whom double as associate editors). This spread of "eyes" is important with dictionary compilation as the fewer people working on the text, the more nuanced the definitions and selection of words.
I like the inclusion of the Kangxi and Comprehensive Radical Charts at the "back end paper verso" (back cover) of the dictionary. The front covers are blank, which could have been used in a similar way, perhaps for a summary of stroke-order rules.
Speaking of stroke-order rules, I have rarely, if ever, seen a satisfactory treatment of this in any Chinese text, let alone dictionary. Unfortunately this includes the volume at hand. The best method that I have seen is employed for the use of Japanese lexicography, in Hadamitzky and Spahn's Kanji & Kana (Tuttle - 0-8048-2077-5).
On the whole, however, the appendices included at the back are comprehensive, necessary and easy to follow.
The inclusion of words with Roman lettering (such as "a Q jingshen - attitude that treats defeats as personal moral victories" p9) shows the trend towards the use of English words and letters interspersed in Mandarin in modern China.
The "er" retroflexive suffix is a handy inclusion - at each relevant entry - for anyone wanting to travel to Beijing or the surrounding area. The same word can have this suffix appended or not, depending on the intended meaning. Thus, it is of great benefit to be able to check at a glance whether it is included in each individual entry, without having to memorise the rule/s concerned. A cheap handbook (shou ce) on the "er" suffix, called "hanyu erhuaci xuexi shouce / Chinese-er suffixed words without tears" is available, published by Beijing University.
It would have been good if measure words were included in the entries as well. But this may have overly complicated the process, as a word can have more than one measure word depending on the context in which it is used. On page 1360 and onwards, however, there is a very useful appendix listing many measure words and their respective usages.
Whenever a character has been simplified, the traditional character is shown in square brackets. This is essential for anyone interested in the etymology of a character. Also, if you have spent time in Hong Kong or Shen Zhen, or have studied Chinese before using fantizi (traditional characters) you will appreciate being able to move from the familiar to the more challenging.
This dictionary has an electronic counterpart, namely Wenlin. Wenlin is top-of-the-range Chinese dictionary software, with many added benefits over using the book alone. This includes a flashcards function, a drawing box for character look-up, and spoken pronunciation of a high quality; not to mention the ability to upgrade from Wenlin's website.
If you are thinking of buying both the ABC dictionary and Wenlin, I would err on the side of "lexical diversity" by choosing Wenlin and, possibly, Oxford's 3rd edition English-Chinese/Chinese-English dictionary, the one with the red cover (0-19-596457-8). The benefits of this, are twofold. First, you would have an English-Chinese dictionary (which ABC has not and Wenlin's is limited). Second, the Oxford dictionary is smaller, and much more portable, than ABC (but the 1999 edition of ABC is available in a smaller size).
Although the text size is quite small, the print quality is of such a standard that the components and shape of complicated characters (i.e. jiantizi - simplified - but still complicated) can still be discerned.
Perhaps most importantly, with this dictionary most of all, please read the Introduction and Reader's Guide at the front of this dictionary as soon as possible. It contains information on the arrangement of words, orthography, parts of speech and many other indispensable tools.
In short, highly recommended, 5 stars without a moment's hesitation.
Book Description
More than 200 authentic Celtic motifs, ideal for myriad uses, include elaborate spirals and weaves, exotic birds, horned beasts, mermaids, and other fanciful creatures. This outstanding collection of distinctive designs features a rich and diverse variety of patterns, which can be used as borders or individually.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent source for ideas.......2007-10-05
This is an excellent source of design ideas. I have recently started working in polymer clay and hope to start also with metal clay, so I was casting about for ideas and came across this book and CD of Celtic art motifs.
I am very fond of the basic knotted designs of the Halstadt culture which tends to be very curvilinear geometric, and over half of the designs in this book are Halstadt in style (as opposed to the later La Tène period with designs that incorporate stylized animals into the Celtic knot motif. For those who prefer the latter, check Celtic Designs in the same collection.)
The CD was easily installed on my computer, easy to open and navigate. It took me a little time to refamiliarize myself with the clip art style. I haven't used it since it came on floppy disks! This was very much easier to do.
Celtic Design Cd - excellent buy!.......2007-07-09
This was a great purchase for me. I have really enjoyed creating with the designs. There are many variations to choose from and I have used it a lot!
Great for design.......2007-04-03
I needed to get this book for some wedding designs I was making up. The pictures are great there are lots of different designs and they have them in all different file formats. Perfect for Graphic Design.
Celtic designs.......2007-01-04
No need for a scanner with the cd-rom. I use these for scrollsawing patterns.
Honestly represented and fairly priced.
Book Description
Intriguing archive of 96 black-and-white designs features the sinuous interlacements, stylized mythical creatures, abstracts, geometrics, and other elements that give Celtic art its unique distinction. Clear, crisp, professionally drawn motifs will lend themselves to a host of art and craft purposes. Included disc contains all designs in book.
Customer Reviews:
Good quality, but redundant.......2005-06-08
The quality of the art in this collection is great, however the majority of the items are animal based. There are few plain geometric patterns and nothing usable as borders, etc. There is another Dover collection that specifically includes Celtic borders. Most of Dover's collections give you a fairly wide selection, but this one is stuck on a theme and is also a bit thin. Only 96 designs! If you are looking for animal motifs in your Celtic clipart, this is the collection for you! If you are looking for anything else, look elsewhere.
Exquisite and useful!.......2002-07-16
I love the fact that you can resize the designs. I've used several as the basis of embroidery patterns on cloaks and tunics. They would be great for everything from newsletters to tattoo designs. From borders to circles to neckpieces to animals, this is a great reference that you will use over and over.
THIS IS COOL.......2002-01-05
The designs in this book are awesome from the animals to the knots I even used one of them for a tatto, it's also great for flyers.
Great for computer applications!.......2000-02-24
This book comes with each design duplicated in a number of formats (gif, jpg, bmp and Mac formats as well!) on a cd rom, which makes this huge clipart collection perfect for graphic design on any computer. About 75% of the designs are animals, ranging from peacocks, a seahorse, to a duck, otter, pelican and fish; but there are also a few spirals, knotwork and key patterns. I have done a few tattoos and created a number of web graphics with the collection, and gotten alot of enjoyment and inspiration from them, and reccomend it to anyone looking for intricate Celtic art (especially zoomorphic desigs), that they can use freely, without worry of Copyright (because there is none, other than a limit on the # of images per publication).
Book Description
Versatile, royalty-free, and immediately usable patterns provide artists and craftspeople with a wealth of exotic design options, including serpentine scrolls, intricately interwoven motifs, fanciful creatures of the sea and sky, symbols for biblical characters, bizarre creatures of the forest, and much more. 96 black-and-white illustrations.
Book Description
Stirring images of traditional Celtic art, transformed into a collection of exciting, versatile stencil designs, depict birds and beasts of myth and scripture, elegant abstract designs, and more. Available in a variety of sizes, shapes and complexities, these attractive and dramatic illustrations are ideal for graphic artists, textile designers, and craftspeople. 164 black-and-white illustrations.
Book Description
This exciting and versatile treasury of over 100 designs offers artists many different types of Celtic motifs, both abstract and pictorial, all expertly adapted from authentic Celtic sources. The wide variety of sizes and shapes range from full- and half-page rectangles, triangles, and circles to frames, borders, corners, and medallions.
Book Description
Rescued from ancient sources, these exceptionally bold motifs include an amazing array of birds, human figures, and mythological creatures, all ingeniously woven into intricate networks of spirals and interlacings. 221 illustrations, 48 of them in color, meticulously adapted from artwork that once graced ancient rune stones, furniture, sword hilts, and other artifacts.
Book Description
Add distinctive Celtic designs to stationery, menus, catalog and magazine pages — almost any graphic project — with this handy CD-ROM and book set. 116 striking royalty-free motifs include winged creatures, religious figures, serpentine scrolls, letters of the alphabet incorporating highly stylized designs, plus a variety of frames and borders.
Book Description
Eye-catching labyrinthine designs, faithfully adapted from 59 authentic Celtic motifs, incorporate mythical creatures, birds, mermaids, abstract patterns, geometrical and animal forms, a handsome Celtic cross, and more. Perfect for adding a unique touch to almost any commercial and artistic project, these dazzling images are suitable for computer or traditional cut-and-paste use.
Customer Reviews:
Celtic Frames and Borders CD-ROM by Mallory Pearce.......2007-02-11
Book has been enjoyed by my husband. The book was in excellent condition.
Disappointing.......2003-12-08
The images in this production are to Celtic illustration what imitation crab meat is to the real thing. Sad to say the quality of the images are just a couple of steps above cartoon art. Also disappointing is the fact that the images were scanned at 300 x 300 dpi. In this day and age, when many printers are cranking out 2,500 dpi, this low level of scanning leaves a lot to be desired. I have purchased other Dover products in the past and have been very pleased. The purchase of this book is one I regret.
Average customer rating:
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Celtic Letters and Ornaments CD-ROM and Book (CD Rom & Book)
Dover
Manufacturer: Dover Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 History & Criticism
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
| Criticism
| General
| Regional
| Themes
| Women in Art
General
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Clip Art
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Commercial
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
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ASIN: 0486998800 |
Book Description
Gathered from the rarest of resources, over 200 black-and-white Celtic motifs and Kellstype initials comprise this unsurpassed treasury of design. Glowing with extravagant beauty, masterfully ornate letters of the alphabet are displayed amid the interlaced beasts, intricate knots, and visual punning of an art form admired for centuries.
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