Phrase book

Phrase book

A phrase book is a collection of ready-made phrases, usually for a foreign language along with a translation, indexed and often in the form of questions and answers.

Structure

While mostly thematically structured into several chapters like "interpersonal relationships", "food", "at the doctor", "shopping" etc., a phrase book often contains useful background information regarding the travel destination's culture, customs and conventions besides simple pronunciation guidelines and a typically 1000–2000 words covering vocabulary.Also a concise grammar and an index intended for quickly finding a particular context are common. In general a phrase book features high clarity and a practical, sometimes color-coded structuring with the main purpose to enable its user to communicate in a quick and easy though very basic manner. Especially with this in mind a phrase book occasionally also provides several possible answers for a given question, in order to enable the asked counterpart to respond in some degree by simply finger pointing at one of the answers. Additional audio material is often intended to benefit pronunciation and understanding competence. This kind of phrase books is often referred to as talking phrase book or voice translator.

Notes

The British comedian group "Monty Python" featured a phrase book containing wrong translations in two of their sketches. [ [http://orangecow.org/pythonet/sketches/hungry.htm Monty Python Sketch: Dirty Hungarian Phrasebook] ] [ [http://orangecow.org/pythonet/sketches/hungry.htm#court Monty Python Sketch: Court (phrasebook)] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.zompist.com/thought.html Unlikely phrases from real phrasebooks]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Phrase book — Phrase Phrase, n. [F., fr. L. phrasis diction, phraseology, Gr. ?, fr. ? to speak.] 1. A brief expression, sometimes a single word, but usually two or more words forming an expression by themselves, or being a portion of a sentence; as, an… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • phrase book — phrase books N COUNT A phrase book is a book used by people travelling to a foreign country. It has lists of useful words and expressions, together with the translation of each word or expression in the language of that country. We bought a… …   English dictionary

  • phrase book — phrase ,book noun count a small book that contains useful words and phrases in a particular foreign language, used especially by tourists …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • phrase book — phrase′ book n. a small book containing everyday phrases and sentences and their equivalents in a foreign language • Etymology: 1585–95 …   From formal English to slang

  • phrase book — ► NOUN ▪ a book listing useful expressions in a foreign language and their translations …   English terms dictionary

  • phrase|book — «FRAYZ BUK», noun. a book containing a collection of idiomatic phrases used in a language, with their explanations or translations: »I started mugging up my handy phrasebook, which tells you in six languages how to cope with the emergencies that… …   Useful english dictionary

  • phrase book — noun a book containing common expressions in a foreign language along with their translations • Hypernyms: ↑book * * * noun : a book containing idiomatic expressions of a foreign language and their translation * * * a small book containing… …   Useful english dictionary

  • phrase book — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms phrase book : singular phrase book plural phrase books a small book that contains useful words and phrases in a particular foreign language, used especially by tourists …   English dictionary

  • phrase book — guide book used to become familiar with a language, book containing common phrases and words in a foreign language …   English contemporary dictionary

  • phrase book — noun Date: 1594 a book containing idiomatic expressions of a foreign language and their translation …   New Collegiate Dictionary

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”