Collins English Dictionary (Collins, £30).

CAN this sixth edition of the mighty opus really contain 5,500 new words?

That's five thousand, five hundred!

It depends very much what constitutes a new word. Not slurk (which my ma made up to describe courting couples in shop doorways).

Nor revite, as a short form or revitalisation, but ones that have been in common use and have now been officially recognised.

Hence, there is drunkathon which Dylan Thomas did a lot of during his short but brilliant life; quidditch, for which we have JK Rowling/Harry Potter to thank and shagtastic, which is what Nigella Lawson is...

News stories have brought Sars, stealth tax, congestion charging and road map (of the future actions kind) into the fold. Even yummy mummy (La Lawson again) is now an official entry in this quite astounding bank of English.

This may sound as if Collins is going the way of dumbing-down TV, but chief editor Jeremy Butterfield defends the decision to include words which may appear ephemeral.

"We take a punt on which words will catch on," he says. "If we get it wrong, we take them out at the next edition. Our dictionary is not a record for all time, set in stone, of what English should be. It is a reflection of language as spoken."

As for the 5,500 words - they're not flagged up in any way, so you'll just have to take Collins' word for it that they really do exist.

David Chapman