Introduction

Summary

This is your one-stop shop for developing your vocabulary, academic writing, translation and comprehension through the acquisition of Arabic idioms and stylistic expressions.

This dictionary provides readers with a comprehensive glossary of Arabic idioms and expressions, translated into English. The wide range of idioms and expressions are very practical for learners, translators and academics who wish to expand their knowledge of Arabic idioms and expressions, and develop their Arabic translation and academic writing skills. This easy-to-access dictionary covers up-to-date idiomatic expressions reflecting different registers.

The main objectives of this dictionary can be summarised as follows:

• 1. Introduce learners to key idioms and expressions reflecting different registers.

• 2. Equip learners, translators and academics with a collection of multifaceted key idiomatic and stylistic expressions to aid them in their translation, writing and comprehension.

• 3. Enhance awareness of key Arabic idioms and expressions and their translations.

• 4. Facilitate the task of accessing and using idioms and expressions alphabetically.

• 5. Develop their Arabic writing style.

Structure and Organisation

In term of the structure and organisation, this dictionary follows conventional dictionary formats and as such there are no breakdown of idioms into sections or themes, but all are listed alphabetically. The entries are organised alphabetically on the Alif–Yāʾ (A–Z) scale. There is no criteria for selecting idiomatic expressions as the dictionary aims to accommodate all genres and types of idioms. In doing so, major modern and classic references and dictionaries such as Lisān al-ʿArab, Hans Wehr, Oxford Arabic Dictionary, al-Mawrid and other pertinent references have been consulted to ensure a wide range of idioms have been included.

This dictionary is considered a key reference and it is hoped that it will supplement existing textbooks and will be most useful for intermediate and advanced learners of Arabic, native Arabic speakers, translators and interpreters.

Our major drive for developing this idiomatic dictionary is the learners’ pressed need for a comprehensive glossary or a dictionary of Arabic idioms and expressions, which will help them in their translation and writing. Our students would often ask us to provide them with translations of idioms to help them with translating and comprehending texts. It was evident on numerous occasions in Arabic classes that current dictionaries are not of much help to students when translating idioms and expressions into English.