Oxford have topped the French-English dictionary charts with this latest offering. At last, a publisher has given some thought to we ageing profs who have to use bi-lingual dictionaries in our work. The font of the typeface is actually readable. It must be a first.Another great idea is a grey printed tab for each letter of the alphabet which acts as a fast way into the dictionary without cretaing a tear-point like the old cut-out thumb indices. An interesting by-product is that at a glance you can see which letter of the alphabet is the most common first letter for French words.
What else do I like? Ah, yes the panel inserts with greater background info on modal auxiliaries, meaurement, time etc.
What haven't they done? Still no translation into English of what the verb parts mean in the beautifully clear verb tables at the back. Then again I don't know a grammar book or a dictionary that has realised how useful this would be to learners. When will a publisher think of this? que il eut ete aime
Five out of five for Oxford Hachette.
