Oxford Picture Dictionary: English/Arabic

If you are English speaker studying Arabic, however, this book is of unique value in one respect. Most written Arabic language methods that I've seen put English transliterations very close to words in Arabic script which means you tend to memorize the transliterated sounds with the definition rather than learning to recognize the word as written in Arabic. This book really allows for the kind of visual memorization that seems central to learning to read Arabic. That makes this book a good addition to Mace's TEACH YOURSELF BEGINNING ARABIC SCRIPT which tries to teach "whole word recognition" Arabic (rather than just sounding out) but doesn't lay out its pages or present its material in a way that really supports that.

Even so, it would have been better in this book if the pronunciations- or even just the voweled versions of the words- were given some place. A simple modification like that would make the book of nearly equal value to English speakers.

Another beef I have with this book is the 4-8 age group recomendation. The book is of limited usefulness to adult English speakers seeking to learn Arabic. English speaking children would just be lost. And unless the Arabic speaking child in question is a little genius with good reading skills in his or her own language and some proficiency in basic English alphabet and phonetics, this is probably better for junior high level practice or perhaps as a guide to parents seeking to tutor their children in English as a second language.


These pictures are DEFINATELY worth a thousand words!   April 15, 2000
 26 out of 26 found this review helpful

I have been learning Modern Standard Arabic every day for more than a year and a half now, and I am not exaggerating when I say that I have used every Arabic-English/English-Arabic dictionary out there from the Hans Wehr to the Al-Mawrad, and this dictionary does something that none of them can. This dictionary gives you not only the word, but also the scenario in which they are used. Anyone who speaks, or is learning, Arabic knows that there is always more than one word, or way to say anything. With this dictionary, you are able to look up the setting in which the particular word would be used, and the most common word for that item will be displayed next to the picture, and this dictionary contained every scenario I could of, and then some! Also, unlike other language dictionaries, this one is fun too! Flipping through the pages and stopping at the barber shop or on the auto mechanics page is a fun way to learn new, USEFUL words, and also a great tool to practice with. Although this dictionary can not substitute for grammar dictionaries, in my opinion it is an indispensible companion.


FORGET ABOUT IT!   January 20, 2002
 12 out of 17 found this review helpful

Not one pronounciation given - just Arabic characters, which, if you don't already know them, you will have no idea how to say them. I returned this book. If you don't already speak Arabic, it's useless.


Great resource for serious Arabic students   July 23, 2005
 12 out of 12 found this review helpful

This dictionary is not only a great resource for Arabic speakers who want to learn English and American culture, but it is also extremely valuable to an English speaker who is seriously studying Arabic.

Many of the reviews have valid complaints. If you purchase this book expecting to use it to speak Arabic quickly because you are traveling to the Arab world, this will not be of any use to you. If, however, you have been studying Arabic, or plan to learn to read the script, you will find this dictionary very useful.

As for this not being "real" Arabic, one needs to know that Arabic is a complex language. There is a written, more classical standard form and then there are many colloquial dialects that are spoken and not written. The spoken words can be simliar or completely different from the written form. What you see in this dictionary is the standard written form. If you use some of these phrases in an Arabic speaking country a vast majority of people will understand what you are saying. They may inform you of the spoken form of the word, but they will understand you.

If you rely on phonetic Arabic transliteration into English, then this book will disappoint you. You must already have a basic understanding of the Arabic script and pronunciation. There is also no voweling for the Arabic words, which makes it even more difficult to discern.

The Arabic script is smaller than the English, but this is how you will find all type-written Arabic (and even most hand-written Arabic as well!).

My husband and I are using this to supplement our full-time study of Arabic and I also use it to teach EFL to Arabic speakers. It has been a wonderful resource and I plan to order more to share with family and friends.


Intended for Arabic speakers learning English   December 8, 2000
 11 out of 15 found this review helpful

Please note that this book is aimed at Arabic speakers who want a picture dictionary of English words and situations. As such, it is not as useful for beginning Arabic students such as myself. For example, all the Arabic word equivalents are printed in smallish Arabic script, without the phonetic Roman-alphabet equivalents that I've been using in my studies. Another example, the space devoted to verbs and their forms is all about English verbs - not exactly what I was hoping for when I purchased the book.