Unlike
the more popular
Hans Wehr,
Hava
is a classical Arabic dictionary. Although it does have occasional
mistakes,
it generally sticks to and gives the correct classical meaning and
usage of Arabic words. Where non-classical words are included, they are
clearly marked as such.
The
Goodword Books
edition has about 400 fewer pages than the 4th edition of Hans Wehr,
but many more words are included, as the classical lexicon was
much greater than the modern. For example, it gives six verbal nouns
for the verb
wajada
('to find'), whereas Hans Wehr gives only one. Again, Hava has the
classical Arabic verb
ḥali`a,
which is 'to be covered in pustules,' whereas Hans Wehr ignores it
altogether, due to its absence from modern Arabic.
As
a result, its layout is not
as clear as Hans Wehr's. Also, it usually only gives one
or two English equivalents for each Arabic word, which can make the
exact meaning of an
Arabic
word difficult to grasp, whereas Hans Wehr gives a
number of English synonyms, which often helps
clarify the meaning in any given context.
As this really is a classical Arabic dictionary, don't expect to find
words for 'car' or 'computer'; (
sayyārah,
which is the modern word for car, is indeed found in the dictionary,
but only its classical meanings are given, namely 'caravan' or
'planet').
But while this dictionary may not be of much help when it comes
to modern Arabic, it's an indispensable aid for the student of
classical Arabic. The breadth of classical Arabic language covered by
this single-volume dictionary is truly impressive. It also has very few
mistakes, which makes it an ideal bedside dictionary for anyone
interested in classical Arabic.
In conclusion, Hava is an immensely
useful dictionary for someone who is already reasonably
adept at reading modern texts, and is trying to make a transition
from Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) to Classical Arabic. It
is best
used in conjunction with Hans Wehr - the former will usually give
the correct range of meanings and usages, and the latter will suggest
more natural translations of those words into English, and will also
guide the student to those words and usages which are still current.
