Language and Writing Studies Subject Guide - University Libraries, University of Hartford
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    Language and Writing Studies - Subject Guide

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    Sections in this category: General Resources | Dictionaries | Encyclopedias

    General Resources

    The American Heritage Guide to Contemporary Usage and Style
    Authoritative survey of English usage, grammar, and style.

    bab.la (Multi-Language Dictionary)
    Free online platform for language lovers with 40 dictionaries for 28 languages, a language forum, vocabulary lessons, language games, quizzes, verb conjugation for 12 languages, phrase books for university, business or travel, an internship platform and many other language-related products.

    Cambridge Guide to Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
    Guide to the central areas of applied linguistics and language studies with particular reference to TESOL. It looks at the current state of TESOL as well as at what is likely to happen in the future.

    Career Opportunities for Writers
    Mortensen Library Reference PN151 .G84 2000 Check Status

    Chambers Classic Speeches
    Selection of Eloquent Speeches given by politicians, monarchs, rebels, and intellectuals.

    Collins Concise Dictionary of Quotations
    Ideal reference source for speech, essays, and letter writers.

    Crusaders, Scoundrels, Journalists: the Newseum's Most Intriguing Newspeople
    Mortensen Library Reference PN4871 .C78 1999 Check Status

    Divided by a Common Language
    Explains differences in pronunciation, spelling, and vocabulary between British and American English.

    Elements of Style by William Strunk
    Online version of the original text of Elements of Style. Click "Check Status" for access. Check Status

    Freedom of the Press: a Global Survey of Media Independence
    Mortensen Library Reference PN4736 .F742 Check Status

    Good Word Guide
    Modern communications are breaking down distinctions between formal and informal English, raising ever more questions as to how to speak and write correctly.

    How to Pay for Your Degree in Journalism & Related Fields
    Mortensen Library Reference LB2337.2 .S365 2008 Check Status

    How We Talk: American Regional English Today
    Essays on Modern American usage of the English Language.

    Introduction to the Philosophy of Language
    In this textbook, Michael Morris offers a critical introduction to the central issues of the philosophy of language.

    Journalism: A Guide to the Reference Literature
    Mortensen Library Reference Z6940 .C38 2004 Check Status

    Key Concepts in Journalism Studies
    Essential reading for students in journalism, and an invaluable reference tool for their professional careers.

    Key thinkers in linguistics and the philosophy of language
    Reference guide to the work of figures who have played an important role in the development of ideas about language.

    MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing, 3rd Edition
    Mortensen Library Reference LB2369 .G533 2008
    Allen Library Writing Center LB2369 .G53 M53 2008 Check Status

    Opportunities in Technical Writing Careers
    Career Services Shelves T11 .G663 2008 Check Status

    Rawson's Dictionary of American Quotations
    Covers quotations from aspects of American life, culture, and politics.

    Respectfully quoted : a dictionary of quotations requested from the Congressional Research Service
    Compilation of quotations used by the Congressional Research Service.

    Simpsons Contemporary Quotations
    Unique compilation of quotations since 1950.

    Word Histories and Mysteries
    Historical look at the use and origin of English words and phrases.

    Word origins : the hidden histories of English words from A to Z
    Uncovers the often surprising connections between elements of the English lexicon that have become obscured by centuries of language change.


    Dictionaries

    American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms
    The largest collection of idioms and popular phrases available today.

    The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language
    Newly updated English dictionary. Also have older editions in print Mortensen Library Reference [PE1628 .A623 2006] and Mortensen Library Oversized [PE1628 .A623 2000].

    Brewer's Dictionary of Irish Phrase and Fable
    Devoted exclusively to the history, culture, mythology and language of the island of Ireland.

    Brewer's Dictionary of Modern Phrase and Fable
    Phrase and fable dictionary for the 21st century.

    The Browser's Dictionary of Foreign Words and Phrases
    Practical and browsable A-to-Z reference tells you all you need to know to understand, pronounce and appreciate the many foreign words and phrases commonly used by speakers and writers of English.

    Chambers Dictionary of Eponyms
    Find the origin of words that derive from a person from history.

    Collins English-Greek Dictionary
    A comprehensive coverage of today's Greek and English in a clear, user-friendly format.

    Collins English-Polish Dictionary
    This dictionary will help you read and understand modern Polish, as well as communicate and express yourself in the language.

    Collins Greek-English Dictionary
    Thousands of examples show how Greek is used in context.

    Collins Slownik Polsko-Angielski (Polish-English Dictionary)
    This dictionary will help you read and understand modern Polish, as well as communicate and express yourself in the language.

    The Devil's Dictionary
    Opinionated compilation of phrases and words in its original 1921 publication by Ambrose Bierce.

    Dictionary of Contemporary Slang
    Guide to the use of slang today.

    Dictionary of Foreign Phrases and Abbreviations
    Lists in one alphabetical sequence foreign phrases, proverbs, maxims and abbreviations frequently used in written and spoken English.

    Dictionary of Linguistics and Phonetics
    Remains the standard single-volume reference for the field of linguistics and phonetics.

    A Dictionary of Literary Symbols
    Based on literature, rather than "universal" psychological archetypes, myths, or esoterica. Also in print in Mortensen Library Shelves [PN56.S9 F47 1999].

    Dictionary of Publishing and Printing
    Terminology of the publishing and printing industry.

    Dictionary of Sociolinguistics
    Provides a broad coverage of sociolinguistics, including macro- and micro-sociolinguistics and a range of approaches within variationist, interactional, critical and applied traditions.

    Dictionary of Visual Discourse a Dialectical Lexicon of Terms
    This substantial and ambitious dictionary explores the languages and cultures of visual studies. It provides the basis for understanding the foundations and motivations of current theoretical and academic discourse, as well as the different forms of visual culture that have come to organize everyday life.

    Middle English Dictionary
    This electronic version of the MED preserves all the details of the print MED, but goes far beyond this, by converting its contents into an enormous database, searchable in ways impossible within any print dictionary.

    OED Online (Oxford English Dictionary)
    Search the definitive dictionary of the English language, complete and continuously updated. Provides definitions, etymology, and history of usage with examples over time. UofH users only. Full text. Click "Check Status" for access. Check Status

    The Penguin Rhyming Dictionary
    Offers an astonishingly wide range of suggestions for rhyming words, from the common and everyday to the more difficult and obscure.

    Rawson's Dictionary of Euphemisms and Other Doubletalk
    Useful dictionary of English Usage for idiomatic words and phrases.

    Rawson's Wicked Words
    Study of the use of words and phrases as pertaining to put-downs or insults.


    Encyclopedias

    Concise Encyclopedia of Sociolinguistics
    Provides uniquely comprehensive and authoritative coverage of all aspects of sociolinguistics.

    Encyclopedia of American Journalism
    Mortensen Library Reference PN4855 .E53 2008 Check Status

    Encyclopedia of Life Writing: Autobiographical and Biographical Forms
    Encyclopedia explores not only autobiography and biography proper, but also letters, diaries, memoirs, family histories, case histories, and other ways in which individual lives have been recorded and structured.

    Encyclopedic Dictionary of Semiotics, Media, and Communications
    Mortensen Library Reference P87.5 .D36 2000 Check Status

    Ethnologue: Languages of the World
    An encyclopedic reference work cataloging all of the world's 6,909 known living languages.


    Academic Search Premier
    Indexing and abstracts for over 8,000 journals in all subject areas, with full text of articles from nearly 4,600. Includes some popular magazines as well as scholarly journals.

    Dictionary of Literary Biography
    Lengthy, full text biographical and critical essays on world literary figures from all eras and genres. Limited number of simultaneous users. Be sure to close when finished searching.

    Essay & General Literature Index with Retrospective
    Years Covered: 1900-
    Essay & General Literature offers access to tens of thousands of essays that are otherwise all but inaccessible. This resource also unlocks a wealth of information in thousands of collections and anthologies, making your library more valuable to researchers in a wide array of fields.

    Film & Television Literature Index
    Bibliographic database covering all aspects of film and television theory, preservation, writing, production, technical aspects, and reviews. Abstracts with selected full text.

    Google Scholar
    Search for scholarly literature across disciplines and sources. Includes peer-reviewed papers, theses, books, abstracts and articles, etc. Particularly strong in sciences and social sciences. Selected full text. Many links are to publisher's sites which sell access. ON Campus - links to U of H holdings are available. OFF Campus - U of H users should check our holdings and use Interlibrary Services as needed.

    Humanities Abstracts
    Strong resource index for all aspects of the Humanities including: Archaeology, Area Studies, Art, Classical Studies, Communications, Dance, Film, Folklore, Gender Studies, History, Journalism, Linguistics, Literary & Social Criticism Literature, Music, Performing Arts, Philosophy, Religion and Theology

    MLA Bibliography
    International index of books and journals. Covers modern languages, literature, linguistics, and folklore. For information about the periodicals included, consult the MLA Directory of Periodicals.

    OED Online (Oxford English Dictionary)
    Search the definitive dictionary of the English language, complete and continuously updated. Provides definitions, etymology, and history of usage with examples over time. UofH users only. Full text.


    CogPrints
    Electronic archive for papers in any area of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Linguistics, as well as portions of computer Science, Philosophy, Biology and other fields pertinent to the study of cognition.

    The Elements of Style (Bartleby)
    Full text of William Strunk's classic guide to proper usage.

    EnglishClub.com
    Help for both students of English as a Second Language and their instructors. Lessons on grammar, pronunciations, business English and more. Lesson plans and ESL projects for faculty. Caution! British English!

    Guide to Grammar and Writing
    Basic searchable, detailed guide to sentence structure, punctuation, and more. Includes an online dictionary and thesaurus, web links for writers, and even an interactive grammar advice column.

    OWL (Online Writing Lab) at Purdue
    This site provides strong guidance in writing career related documents including resumes, curriculum vitae (cv's) and cover letters.

    Writers Free Reference
    Full -text basic reference sources to help you write that research paper or novel.