The University of Chicago Spanish Dictionary, Fifth ... (ISBN 0226666883)

faded glory:
The Chicago dictionary and I have been together ever since its third edition, which was the best of its day. The fourth edition set a standard that I have not seen equalled. The fifth edition is a great disappointment, a wastrel son that has squandered the intellectual capital bequeathed him by his forebears. Gone are all the fine distinctions that make a language not simply intelligible but meaningful. Gone are the phonology and history of the language that gave structure to our understanding. Gone are the regional precisions that, in this day of continent-wide cable TV emanating from Buenos Aires, Caracas, Mexico City, Miami, and Los Angeles, become ever more important. On the bright side, the fifth edition's typography, while cramped, is easier to read. But I can recommend the Chicago no longer. The fifth is decidedly for the short-attention-span crowd. If you don't want a dictionary written for elementary students, either get the fourth edition or look to a different publisher.

For your "Spanish class":
Remember the rubbish kids used in high school Spanish, taking their "Spanish" from the lady from Yourtown USA, who had never spoken Spanish in a Spanish-speaking country, or even spoken Spanish with a native speaker of Spanish? Remember the jocks taking "Spanish" in college for the distribution requirement, with the vacant looks on their faces, who got passed for football, or because their parents were alumni? Remember the textbook style stuff these people used (meaning bought and never cracked)? If you're nostalgic for that era, here's your "Spanish Dictionary". The U of Chi Spanish dictionary was always a bit brief, and the present crew seems to have thought that it should be even briefer, so here you have a "Brief Spanish Dictionary". It used to identify a lot of regional usages, in fact that was a selling point. Well, people complain about how much regional variation there is in Spanish, how slangy it is. Even Spanish native speakers! So, let's trim it down! Leave it to the New U of Chi Spanish Dictionary to lead the crusade against local idiosyncracy! Don't let those people in Chile or wherever get away with using their own lingo. Snuff it out! Don't list it, don't bother with it. It ain't there, no problem. If the word ain't in your "Spanish" textbook, it ain't in this "dictionary". Welcome to "Spanish 101", eternally on the 101 level. No sangria, no senyorita, nada. No seas tonto, compa. Compra otro diccionario y aprende el castellano.

Smaller Dictionary, and that's the Point:
I borrowed this dictionary from the local library to help me with my ESOL class (I have mostly Spanish-speakers). True, it doesn't have all the words I need but I really love it: it has so much! I also have decided to buy one for my daughter who's taking Spanish in college because she can't lug her BIG dictionary around with her and because she's not always doing her assignments in her bedroom (hence she's not using a dictionary at all if not in the room). When I majored in French 25 years ago, the dictionary with which I became VERY intimate was about the size of the U. of Chicago Dict., 5th Edition, and I was a wiz at finding what I needed, i.e., the bulk of what I needed was in something this size, and SIZE IS THE POINT here. When we need more words and nuances, use the bigger dictionary with MORE WORDS in it, the one we usually leave at home. But for flexibility AND ACTUAL "USEABILITY", use THIS ONE! As it is right now, Daughter keeps calling home and saying, "How do you say ...?"

Marvelous.:
the University of Chicago Spanish Dictionary is the very best Spanish-English dictionary available. It includes cultural notes and one can always find the needed word.

Must have for students:
I have been teaching foreign languages for 33 years and this is the dictionary I always ask my students to buy. My students must agree with my high opinion of the dictionary as my was stolen off my desk! I looked at other dictionaries before replacing mine but my choice was pretty clear from the start. Any dictionary that a student will take, must be one heck of a dictionary. I like the multiple choices for each word and how they give them in context. Do your Spanish teacher a favor, buy yourself this dictionary and leave hers on the desk.