The new Collins Dictionary of the English Language is comprehensive and authoritative, providing an endlessly browsable “good read” for language lovers. Elegantly packaged with attractive yet durable binding, this is the perfect gift for the dictionary buff or language lover in your life. This dictionary contains all the words and definitions you need every day, plus over 200 essays and special features on a wide range of language topics. With essays on the history of English, the influence of other languages on English, and English as it is used around the world, this reference also touches on the language of historically important writers (including Chaucer and Shakespeare), and grammar controversies.