If foreign words and phrases are your "bete noire," here is a superb
reference that covers more than 6,000 foreign words and phrases commonly
used in English, drawn from some forty languages, from Afrikaans to
Turkish. Readers will find clear definitions of words such as
"fandango," "futon," "falsetto," "basmati," and many other words that
appear in everyday speech as well as in musical direction, the arts,
food, medicine, science, literature and belles-lettres. The entries are
browsable, but also authoritative, with detailed information on each
word or phrase, including any alternative spellings, the date of the
word's introduction into English, its language of origin, its
definition, and notes on usage and other points of interest. New
full-page feature panels provide fascinating extra information on
language borrowing, including how specific languages have influenced
particular areas of English. This new edition includes up-to-date
coverage of words that have entered the English language in the 21st
Century, including "bruschetta," "pashmina," and "galactico," and an
appendix that lists words by country.