Page:Arthur N. Wollaston - English-Persian Dictionary 1882.djvu/16

 xii PREFACE.

with which I have met in the course of my reading, in which case errors would, as an inevitable consequence, have crept into the Dictionary; however, when any doubt existed in my mind, I have preferred to omit rather than to mislead. With regard to the large array of words in colloquial use, which now for the Erst time have received "a local habitation," I am privileged to quote, as the authority for their introduction, the names of Mirza Baker, Mr. Binning, and Lieut.-Colonel Ross, each of whom has supplied me with information derived from a residence in ~ the districts where the words in question are used in ordinary conversation. As to the mode of spelling and the accuracy of transliteration in such cases, I cannot avoid assuming s. large degree of responsibility; indeed, it was impossible to do otherwise than choose a path for myself, in a direction where none had preceded to mark the way. As, however, Mirza Baker was constantly at hand to guide and counsel, I have some confidence as to the soundness of the results. It will be observed that there are comparatively few renderings given for verbs, the object being to save space; but the omission will not, it is thought, occasion much inconvenience to the student, who can refer to the sub- stantive, and add thereto an auxiliary verb, a process of "coining" which is strictly legitimate, and not more open to objection than the construction of such English phrases as, to "do repairs," to "make way," to “have confidence," &c.

For a similar reason, also, it has not been deemed necessary to give numerous equivalents for words which can be found under their various synonyms. A com- pendious Dictionary must be deficient in some points, and omissions of this nature commended themselves, with the view of providing for the introduction of more uncommon words, the absence of which would