To mark the occasion of International Mother Language Day, observed on 21 February every year, the Oxford University Press (OUP), a department of the University of Oxford, announced the launch of a bilingualย English-English-Assamese Dictionaryย andย a new edition of theย Oxford Mini English-Bengali Dictionary.ย The launch of these dictionaries ties in with celebrations of International Mother Language Day, also known as Matribhasha Diwas, in promoting linguistic and cultural diversity andย multilingualism.ย
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The new Oxford English-English-Assamese Dictionaryย incorporates 34,000 words, phrases, idioms, phrasal verbs, and derivatives along with their detailed translations in Assamese. It also contains over 1,100 synonyms and antonyms and 2,000 keywords to facilitate fluency and vocabulary building in English.ย The design and presentation of the dictionary illustrates the rich cultural heritage, art, and linguistic identity of the state of Assam, with the cover, designed by experienced illustrator Boski Jain, featuring Assamese embroidery, a traditional craft which showcases the skill and creativity of local artisans.
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Incorporating 20,000 words and derivatives with meanings in Bengali, the second edition of theย Oxford Mini English-Bengali Dictionaryย is an essential guide to English keywords. The design of the dictionary also emphasises the rich cultural and linguistic heritage of Bengal.ย The cover, designed by experienced illustrator Boski Jain, features Alpana, a traditional folk-art style from the region consisting of patterns and symbols that are painted on floors and walls with a wet white pigment to mark auspicious occasions.ย ย The dictionaryย contains over 20,000 words and derivatives with meanings in Bengali,ย provides accurate pronunciation of English words in Bengali andย Includes grammatical information onย irregular nouns, verbs and adjectives.
ย Announcing the launch of new dictionaries,ย Sumanta Datta, Managing Director, Oxford University Press India,ย said,ย “Investing in lexical content, providing authoritative dictionaries, and continually monitoring language evolution are integral to OUP’s mission. Theย Oxford Mini English-Bengali Dictionaryย andย theย Oxford English-English-Assamese Dictionaryย have been launched through evidence-based lexical research initiatives. Our lexicographers scrutinize authentic word usage to ascertain definitions, spellings, and grammatical nuances, offering guidance based on this meticulous research.ย Oxfordย Dictionariesย extensively cover new words and derivatives, along with spelling, grammar and pronunciation information, aiding students in mastering English through the support of their mother tongue.โ
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OUP India currently publishes dictionaries in 12 Indian languages: Bengali, Assamese, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Odia, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, and Hindi.ย Additionally, a 13th language will soon be introduced with the release of a trilingual dictionary in Sanskrit-Hindi-English.
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