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Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary
"A comprehensive source of geographical, economic, historical, and political information. Over 54,000 entries and 250 maps. Includes information on continents, countries, regions, cities, historical sites, and natural features. Provides pronunciations and variant spellings."
1361 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1949
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
March 17, 2016
IT was an excellent read! There was no city, town, river, or lake left out! I would use for geographical studying for anyone. Though, I would most likely choose to use the most recent edition being that South Sudan, Kosovo, Serbia, and Montenegro aren't recognized as independent nations in this book.
March 9, 2025
This is an amazing resource that would have been even more incredible in 1949. It includes various projection maps of the world, along with notes about the benefits and drawbacks of each. There are color maps in the back for Bible Lands, Growth and Greatest Extent of the Roman Empire, Europe Folk Migrations and Conquests, Mongol Dominions, Ottomans Empire in the 17th Century, and various other historical and contemporary maps.
The entry for the United States has a map of the states during the revolutionary war period.
The pronunciation guide could use more examples; each letter has only one word as an example, which makes it difficult to know how they mean it to be pronounced. This is especially true for vowels, which vary widely across the United States alone, let alone the English-speaking world. I don’t see or hear the difference between the “a” in ale, chaotic, or care; or the “a” in ask and add.
I do hear what a difference between a long and half-long could be in the first “e” of eve and event.
They do go into more detail about each pronunciation later, but even just a second word example would have helped a lot.
Many of the places are of course different than today. The map of Michigan doesn’t show the Mackinac Bridge, nor does the reference mention it. Construction wouldn’t start until 1954.
Ithaca, New York, is listed as being known for “firearms, salt products, electric clocks, cement;” as well as Cornell University and Ithaca College, both “coed”.
Trieste is listed as “Trieste (Free Territory of)”. In 1949 it was a “Former province of Italy… under administration of the United Nations” because “in World War II taken by the Yugoslaves May 1945; with surrounding area made the Free Territory of Trieste by peace treaty of 1947.”
This is a beautiful and dense collection. I don’t know how useful this book will be, but it’s going on the desk next to my other reference works.
The entry for the United States has a map of the states during the revolutionary war period.
The pronunciation guide could use more examples; each letter has only one word as an example, which makes it difficult to know how they mean it to be pronounced. This is especially true for vowels, which vary widely across the United States alone, let alone the English-speaking world. I don’t see or hear the difference between the “a” in ale, chaotic, or care; or the “a” in ask and add.
I do hear what a difference between a long and half-long could be in the first “e” of eve and event.
They do go into more detail about each pronunciation later, but even just a second word example would have helped a lot.
Many of the places are of course different than today. The map of Michigan doesn’t show the Mackinac Bridge, nor does the reference mention it. Construction wouldn’t start until 1954.
Ithaca, New York, is listed as being known for “firearms, salt products, electric clocks, cement;” as well as Cornell University and Ithaca College, both “coed”.
Trieste is listed as “Trieste (Free Territory of)”. In 1949 it was a “Former province of Italy… under administration of the United Nations” because “in World War II taken by the Yugoslaves May 1945; with surrounding area made the Free Territory of Trieste by peace treaty of 1947.”
This is a beautiful and dense collection. I don’t know how useful this book will be, but it’s going on the desk next to my other reference works.
June 5, 2019
I'm not an American nor European. Never been too far from home. This book, together with Wikipedia, Google and YouTube, adds much needed background information to the geographical settings and historical background on whatever book I'm reading. Places around the World are described in detail. Important historical events laid out plainly. Maps are aplenty. It's indispensable and is easily the best reference book I bought in 2018.
November 12, 2017
Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary was a helpful resource for me when I needed information on Pitcairn Island.
900-999-geography-history
January 23, 2020910.3
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June 15, 2012Name: Jill Messer
Title: Merriam-Webster (Ed.). (2007). Merriam-Webster’s geographical dictionary. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster.
Type of Reference: Geographical Reference
Call Number: R 910.3 M551
Brief Description: This is a complete reference of key physical and political points of today. It offers many maps and illustrations that will guide any students studying geography or other social studies courses.
Citation of a Review: Cost: $34.95
Relevance and Relationship: The relevance of the Geographical Dictionary is for those students who are taking a World History or Geography course.
Purpose: The purpose of this text is to be a reference for the Social Studies department so that their students can have a guide to the world at their disposal.
Validity: The Merriam-Webster dictionaries have been a staple in classrooms and libraries for years and will continue to be there.
Format: The format of this text is print.
Arrangement and Presentation: The arrangement of this reference book is alphabetical and offers maps and other images that would interest the reader.
Diversity: This text will be great for students of any reading level or ability level because the picture that accompany the texts will allow the students to process the information even better.
Title: Merriam-Webster (Ed.). (2007). Merriam-Webster’s geographical dictionary. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster.
Type of Reference: Geographical Reference
Call Number: R 910.3 M551
Brief Description: This is a complete reference of key physical and political points of today. It offers many maps and illustrations that will guide any students studying geography or other social studies courses.
Citation of a Review: Cost: $34.95
Relevance and Relationship: The relevance of the Geographical Dictionary is for those students who are taking a World History or Geography course.
Purpose: The purpose of this text is to be a reference for the Social Studies department so that their students can have a guide to the world at their disposal.
Validity: The Merriam-Webster dictionaries have been a staple in classrooms and libraries for years and will continue to be there.
Format: The format of this text is print.
Arrangement and Presentation: The arrangement of this reference book is alphabetical and offers maps and other images that would interest the reader.
Diversity: This text will be great for students of any reading level or ability level because the picture that accompany the texts will allow the students to process the information even better.
Read
May 10, 2014(2007).Merriam-Webster's Geographical Dictionary.Springfield, MA:
Merriam-Webster.
Citation by: Lisa Daugherty
Type of Reference: Geographical Reference
Call Number: Ref910.3
Content/Scope: Comprehensive study of key political and physical features of today's world. Information on 48,000 mountains, lakes and towns with guidance in pronunciation and location information.
Accuracy/Authority/Bias:Merriam-Webster is the leading authority of research tools.
Arrangement/Presentation: Alphabetical listing of more than 54,000 entries with hundreds of maps and tables.
Relation to Similar Works: There are other dictionaries in the collection.
Timeliness/ Permanence: This information will not change very much.
Accessibility/Diversity: Written in clear, concise English.
Cost: $35.00
Review: http://books.google.com/books/about/M...
Merriam-Webster.
Citation by: Lisa Daugherty
Type of Reference: Geographical Reference
Call Number: Ref910.3
Content/Scope: Comprehensive study of key political and physical features of today's world. Information on 48,000 mountains, lakes and towns with guidance in pronunciation and location information.
Accuracy/Authority/Bias:Merriam-Webster is the leading authority of research tools.
Arrangement/Presentation: Alphabetical listing of more than 54,000 entries with hundreds of maps and tables.
Relation to Similar Works: There are other dictionaries in the collection.
Timeliness/ Permanence: This information will not change very much.
Accessibility/Diversity: Written in clear, concise English.
Cost: $35.00
Review: http://books.google.com/books/about/M...
November 28, 2013
Merriam-Webster’s Geographical Dictionary
Type of Reference: Geographical Dictionary
Call Number: Ref 910.3
APA Citation:
Merriam-Webster, Inc. (2007). Merriam-webster’s geographical dictionary. Springfield, MA:
Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Description: Merriam-Webster is a well-known trusted name in dictionaries. This fully revised edition offers more than 54,000 entries which include 350 detailed maps, more than 130 ready-to-use tables, and coverage of historical events. The dictionary would make an excellent resource addition to any collection allowing the patron to find specific information about regions or countries. To add this resource to a collection, it would cost $24.00.
Type of Reference: Geographical Dictionary
Call Number: Ref 910.3
APA Citation:
Merriam-Webster, Inc. (2007). Merriam-webster’s geographical dictionary. Springfield, MA:
Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Description: Merriam-Webster is a well-known trusted name in dictionaries. This fully revised edition offers more than 54,000 entries which include 350 detailed maps, more than 130 ready-to-use tables, and coverage of historical events. The dictionary would make an excellent resource addition to any collection allowing the patron to find specific information about regions or countries. To add this resource to a collection, it would cost $24.00.
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May 5, 2014Webster, I. (1997). Merriam-Webster's geographical dictionary (3rd ed.). Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster.
Citation By: Amber Young Collins
Call Number: REF 910.3
Type: Geographical Reference
Content/Scope: This geographical reference material provides basic information on the world's continents, countries, regions, cities, and natural features.
Arrangement/Presentation: It is an alphabetical listing of more than 50,000 entries including maps, tables, populations, census information and historical events.
Accuracy/Authority/Bias: Merriam-Webster is a leading brand of dictionaries and is trusted by many schools and libraries.
Citation By: Amber Young Collins
Call Number: REF 910.3
Type: Geographical Reference
Content/Scope: This geographical reference material provides basic information on the world's continents, countries, regions, cities, and natural features.
Arrangement/Presentation: It is an alphabetical listing of more than 50,000 entries including maps, tables, populations, census information and historical events.
Accuracy/Authority/Bias: Merriam-Webster is a leading brand of dictionaries and is trusted by many schools and libraries.
October 11, 2018
Personally, I'm not sure how this particular dictionary can be more helpful than an encyclopedia. While some entries (especially those of countries, states, and provinces) work as (very) brief articles, other entries give nothing more than a location and sometimes a population. For example, the entry "Yukon-Koyukuk" simply says "Division in Alaska"; no information on where in the state it is located or anything. This seems to really limit the usefulness of the book.
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July 10, 2008Refosb
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews