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Historical A Dictonary of Medieval Terms and Phrases by Christoper Coredon with Ann Williams $39.95 / D. S. Brewer / 2005 There are 3,400 entries of both Old and Middle English terms in A Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases, all written for the non-academician. With a host of cultural influences such as French, Latin, Anglo-Norman, and Saxon, Old and Middle English can be a hodgepodge of mind-bending challenges and this dictionary helps make sense of all those influences. Occasional asterisks reference other helpful terms found within the dictionary. And each definition includes the selection's etymology, similar words from other cultures and, on occasion, a short but relevant history lesson on when the word first appeared. Of course, no dictionary contains every conceivable word, and A Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases is no exception. But those disappointments are rare. In fact, my only real complaint is that this lexicon does not provide dictionary-style pronunciations for all words. Unless familiar with foreign languages, readers may find their tongues tripping over themselves (which might prove embarrassing should one try and impress others with one's newly acquired vocabulary at the next RenFaire). As a fan of medieval literature, few things can be as maddening as encountering unfamiliar words, so I have learned to keep this useful tome at my side, and recommend you do as well. —Kevin M. Williams

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