Elsevier's Dictionary of the World's Game and Wildlife [antikvár]

PREFACESeveral years ago, I received the visit of Guy Ferlin, who wanted to talk to me about a project he had in mind, concerning the preparation of a five-language dictionary on all kinds of hunting, as well as on a representative section of animal species.It was an ambitious undertaking indeed, yet most useful. I have met in my laboratory too many translators tangled in the pitfalls of their work, and elsewhere too many interpreters tripping over terms on which classical dictionaries either were mute, or only gave erroneous equivalents."Difficult enterprise something like attempting the impossible": these words written by Charles Péguy in other circumstances perfectly apply here.Hunting terms have not always the same meaning when they are transposed from one language into another. Even the names of animal species vary within one language, and I witnessed the difficulties experienced by our French-speaking Canadian colleagues to draw up a check list of the French names of their country's birds.Nevertheless, Guy Ferlin appears to have succeeded in his perilous attempt. His patient efforts are now crowned with success, with the publication of this dictionary which is the outcome of the compilation of countless works and extensive correspondence with all those who lent him their support.The challenge was taken up, and brilliantly won. Such a book should be highly appreciated by all those working in the field of natural history as well as in the field of hunting, viewed as the planned exploitation of wildlife.Our warm thanks should go to the author of this valuable book and to Elsevier Science Publishers who publish it. Both zoologists and sportsmen will have it on their desk, like all those who contribute towards dissemination of knowledge throughout a world that will remain for a long time yet a real Tower of Babel .Jean DorstMember of the Institut de France