Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, September 4, 1994                   TAG: 9409070010
SECTION: HORIZON                    PAGE: D-4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Reviewed by PRESTON BRYANT
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

SAFIRE'S POLITICAL DICTIONARY AIMED AT THE C-SPAN FAN

William Safire, a former Nixon speechwriter who today is a renowned linguist and New York Times columnist, continues to combine his two loves - language and politics - in his new political "dictionary," offering an update to his original 1968 reference book on the language of politics.

In a sense, "Safire's New Political Dictionary" is like the Oxford English Dictionary - not only does it give the meaning of a (political) word or phrase, but also its origin and subsequent uses. This latter information is often treated historically, sometimes humorously and satirically, and that's what makes this dictionary fun.

There are more than 1,000 entries, though some 2,000 terms are defined. It is almost impossible to use as a regular dictionary, as a venture to look up one term inevitably leads to the looking up of another, and before long one finds himself on a journey, curiously "reading," thumbing for entry after entry.

In the wake of Oliver North's GOP Senate nomination, for example, today's Virginia Republican might find himself embarking on such a journey after running across the phrase off the reservation, defined as "remaining nominally within a party, but refusing to support the party's candidate ... in current use, is one step short of taking a walk - supporting the other party's candidate - and two steps short of an out-right bolt - switching to the other party permanently."

As in this example, Safire's entries are often very thorough, including more than one term in a single definition, telling the inquirer a bit more than he wanted to know, but not more than he needed to know for a more comprehensive understanding.

Other entries, while referring to a cross-reference, at the same time may offer up a tongue-in-cheek definition. For goals, it says "see Quotas," under which there is a fuller explanation; for intellectual, it suggests "see Egghead;" and for radical chic, "see limousine liberal."

"Safire's New Political Dictionary" is too expensive to be for everyone. But it's probably an appropriate investment for anyone who has a favorite Sunday talk show pundit (defined, "harmless noodge") or who watches C-SPAN on a regular basis; that is, the more-than-casual student of politics.

Preston Bryant was recently elected to an at-large seat on the Lynchburg City Council.