वृहत्तर शब्द संसार (नेपाली-अंग्रेजी आधुनिक शब्दकोष)- A Wider World of Words (Nepali-English Modern Dictionary)

Foreword This Nepali-English dictionary is a wonderful tool for the language learner and fills a gap in the market of Nepali-English dictionaries. Most dictionaries give the translation of a word, but do not give examples of how to use that word. In language learning knowing how and where to use a word in a sentence, phrase or situation is of vital importance. This dictionary does just that. It allows the user to see examples of how the word is used in common situations. Then it goes further by cross-referencing entries to demonstrate the use of words in different contexts. A vast number of Nepali headwords include synonyms to clarify understanding and give examples of how these synonyms are used.

Language is a living entity and this dictionary takes into account how the use of language evolves. It includes a wide range of words and phrases that are commonly used in everyday life. It is up to date and current. The user will not find antiquated language in this dictionary and will not sound as if they are speaking an ancient form of the language. Its collection of useful expressions is ideal for students, teachers and independent scholars in today's fast-paced world of communication.

Grammatical structures are always a challenge to language learners. This dictionary is a rarity in that it explains and gives examples of the majority of Nepali grammatical structures. Its author, Mr. K B Pradhan, has many years of experience teaching Nepali to non-native speakers through the medium of the English language and his expertise shines through in this dictionary. Often when learning a language, a student will learn individual words, but be unable to use them in a grammatically- correct way. This dictionary is a goldmine of useful, everyday examples of how to communicate in both languages. Idiomatic examples enrich a language learner’s vocabulary. 'Being able to write or speak using a language's idioms sets the user apart from the crowd, while allowing them to feel more integrated into the culture of the language they are using. Translators will find this dictionary of great use as they work at rendering the meaning of Nepali into English and vice versa. I can highly recommend this dictionary.

Preface It was my privilege and honor to teach the Nepali language at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, alongside Prof. Michael Hutt for many years. I am deeply indebted to him for all his help and support during my tenure there. It was an amazing experience working with extraordinary colleagues and students at SOAS. I really miss that; however, I will always cherish the memories I made with those wonderful people in that place. I also want to express my sincere thanks to the selection committee of the University who trusted me with this professional responsibility. SOAS is a world class university, especially for Oriental and African studies.

A special word of gratitude is due to Richard Morris who has read and commented on most of this book. His suggestions have been very valuable. He is associated with one of the charities in Kathmandu called Kala Jota [Art Enlightenment] helping boys and girls with their education through the medium of art. Also, I am really fortunate that I had an opportunity to teach the Nepali language to Mr Ron Lamb, Dr Christine Tipper and Terry Bates, who in return, helped me whenever I had questions about any words or phrases from the dictionary. Dr Christine is also involved in helping the Nepali community in Swindon, UK, to improve their English language. I am 'really delighted to know these wonderful people who love Nepal and always want to help the Nepali people whether they are in Nepal or in the UK. They all speak Nepali very well. I would like to extend special thanks to them for their sincere help with this dictionary.

I want to express my heartfelt thanks and gratefulness to Prof. Mark Leachy and Dr Christine Tipper for giving their precious time to write a few lines about me and my dictionary despite their busy schedules. I really appreciate and welcome these commentaries shedding light on the usefulness of the dictionary. Likewise, I want to thank Mr Dinesh Bhattarai who worked very hard to change the dictionary from Word file into Adobe In Designing and also Mr. Anish Pradhan who helped Dinesh to complete the dictionary on time. In addition, I want to thank Mr Carlos Wong who designed the fantastic cover page.

Finally, I would like to acknowledge with gratitude, the support and love of my family. My mother Putali Devi Pradhan has always been my inspiration throughout my life. My wife Ganu who freed me from all household obligations, so that I could focus on the dictionary work until it was completed. She also worked with me to arrive at conclusions about particular words. My sons Ashish and Sakar have helped me to sort out any computer problems and also to finalize the design of the dictionary. They all kept me going and this dictionary would not have been possible without them.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages