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Dictionaries
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Dictionaries
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Learn English with this information English lesson

Date: Jun 03 2013

Themes: Time

Grammar: Past Perfect Tense

Intro

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A dictionary was once an essential book in every home or business. The only place to check the correct spelling or definition of a word was between the pages of a dictionary. University students might even haul them from class to class. A reference book was a burden, but a necessity.

Today, all that has changed. With access to the Internet, a person only needs a phone or computer to retrieve the same information in seconds. Dictionaries probably seem obsolete to the average teenager, like dusty relics of the 20th century.

Has the traditional dictionary run its course? Keep reading to learn what Greta and Amanda think about that very question.

字典曾一度是每个家庭或每个企业的必备书。我们只有在字典里才可以找出一个字的正确读写或释义。大学生甚至会携带字典奔走于各个课堂。参考书虽然是个负担,但也是学习的必需品。

现在,一切都已经变了。你只需使用手机或电脑访问互联网,便可在短短几秒内检索到相同的信息。对平常的青少年来讲,字典似乎已经过时,就像布满灰尘的 20 世纪老古董。

传统的字典是否已经走向了末路?继续阅读文章,了解格里塔和阿曼达对这个问题作何感想。

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Greta

Greta

Amanda

Amanda

Greta:  You know what I think is funny? That dictionaries can also be out of date, just like encyclopedias.

Amanda:  Last time I checked, a hard copy of a dictionary had become obsolete.

Greta:  It’s true, but they’re kind of fun to look through. I think it is a good kind of reference back to the glory days of information-searching when it just took so much work to go and find something out.

Amanda:  That’s an interesting point that you brought up, that some of the definitions have probably become outdated.

Greta:  It’s true. And when you think about it, how many new words do we have now? Email wasn’t in the dictionary 15 years ago.

Amanda:  That’s absolutely correct. And I wonder whose job it is or authority to decide whether something is actually a word or slang.

Greta:  You know, I know there’s a governing body who makes those decisions every year, but I’m not entirely sure what they’re called. And I have to say, for as handy as I find the Internet, I do sometimes miss that feeling of the giant old tomes and the big musty library feel of having a giant dictionary and giant encyclopedias that you get to rifle through.

Amanda:  I agree. It’s as nostalgic as using the Dewey Decimal System. Gone are the days!

 

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Quizzes

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Discussion

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Greta and Amanda are discussing dictionaries and wonder if people really use them anymore. With so many new words every year, it seems impossible to keep them current.

Greta once enjoyed lifting and looking through huge reference books. It makes both women feel nostalgic about a time when it took real effort to find information. Even though the Internet makes research so much easier, there’s something satisfying about doing it the old-fashioned way.

Do you still have a dictionary, or do you prefer looking up information online? Are dictionaries necessary in our modern world?

 

Comments

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shaerwan

shaerwan

Syrian Arab Republic

i prefer using the enternet

07:21 PM Jun 07 2013 |

Son of English

Hong Kong

I have Spanish and Portuguese dictionaries in my bag everyday.

03:00 PM Jun 04 2013 |

Kresnyk

Kresnyk

Spain

At home, we always had dictionaries and encyclopedias. When I was a child I used it for doing my homework, but nowadays….I can get more information and faster on internet. For example, yesterday, I had to do an exercisie which I need to know the difference among glare/glance/stare/peer/peep and gaze. I searched the information on internet and I fond the  solution in the first post I had seen. If I had used a disctionary, I would have spent more time.
I prefer read in a book or in a encyclopedia, not on the computer, but the advantages of internet…doing it incomparable.

10:34 AM Jun 04 2013 |

1 person likes this

haitham4vip

Egypt

i supposed to write it

12:03 AM Jun 04 2013 |

thiagokami

thiagokami

Brazil

I do have a dictionary and use it every now and again. I prefer to use it rather than looking up information online. I like to open my dictionary and go through each page. Dictionaies are necessary in our modern world.

11:26 PM Jun 03 2013 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

I’m using Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English now. I like it mainly as you can hear the pronunciation of the word and its collacations and there’re many more great stuff in there. To my belief, mastering any language is to master its rythm and the correct pronunciation. I used to use Webster dictionary as well. It’s unique in its way. It has got approximately 30-40 patterns of the English language sentence structures and some of them are indicated in the new word usage you’re looking for. So, it’s still with me and not in a second hand store. Probably I’ll dig it out from the closet and brush up on those structures.


The bottom line is, in this time of computer high tech savvies when the time is money and everyone electronic and digital knowledgeable burdening him/herself with multitasking, the electronic choice is the one that takes place. But here, there’s another warning sign. You go to the computer to look up for a word or just translate an article and here, all of a sudden, you get involved in a interesting discussion or smth else and all your dictionary work get down the drain. Time has stayed the same, it didn’t expand unfortunately. If it were with the hard copy dictionary, you’d just finish your work going through the numerous pages super fast, concentrating only on one task.


So the choice is made, but can we oppose to all those distractions :)

10:56 PM Jun 03 2013 |

1 person likes this

 julito

julito

Argentina

I have a Merriam Webster and Thesaurus dictionary ,usually I keep in at hand  while  I am writing in english to my foreign friends , but to tell the truth  ,most of the time  I prefer to rifle through  online dictionaries . Mr. Webster is feeling kind of neglected by me, but what can i do ?  He should by now have noticed that  his  glory days  are gone and replaced by  the digital technology. 

09:03 PM Jun 03 2013 |

TranceSoul

TranceSoul

Poland

Yes, I have a dictionary. Of course, I use it online one more often than traditional because it’s easier and first of all faster. However travelling I prefer traditional dictionary because it is more comfortable and faster for me than using a phone or kind of.


Actually I have to admit that I don’t care about modern things. Smartphone, iPad, iPhone-I don’t need it and I don’t even like it. I’m not going to read e-books ever. I wouldn’t learn english here if I had more time and different job. So, dictionaries are still good because these make us move our asses to do something more than sitting by computers :P

06:47 PM Jun 03 2013 |

Stephieee

Stephieee

Poland

I have many dictionaries and encyclopedias from the time of my education. I use it sometimes, when i have enough time, but when i need information immediately, i check it in the internet. It’s easier way. but if u dont access to the internet or handy encyclopedia for now, it remains one option: ask someone wise :) i admire people who are like a walking encyclopedia. 

06:47 PM Jun 03 2013 |

Inspirational_Girl

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Dictionaries Play An Imporatant Role In Learning English . 


A Dictionary is Always With Me … Because I’m English Literature University 


Student & It’s Necessary To Carry & Use It Personally .


Online Dictionaries Are So Useful For Checking Words Online In A Fast Way .


Learning Dictionary Of Literary Terms Is So Hard & Has Lots Of Complex


Vocabulary , I Should Read It Because Of My Field .


The Oldest Dictionary That I Have Is !0 Years Old ! :D I Used it Since I Was


9 ! In An English Institute :)


I Have Lots Of Memories With Dictionaries :D Being Active In Learning New


Vocab Of It , Is So So So Great :D If We Put Away That Sense Of Laziness !


Now We Have Dictionaries In Our Cell Phone , An Easy Way For Carrying &


Using It ! So they Are Necessary In Every Modern World ! :)) 

05:32 PM Jun 03 2013 |

knuschu

knuschu

Germany

I use both, online and dictionary.


Well, Einstein said ”“I don’t need to know everything, I just need to know where to find it, when I need it”.”I like these saying, it’s true, I have to add a big BUT…  Our brain will be empty soon, if we only say …. “well I don’t know, I will google it” ;-)


Of course it’s faster to find a word in a dictionary, but in my case, I remember better to the word, I found in a dictionary.

05:16 PM Jun 03 2013 |

DAMAVAND

DAMAVAND

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Dear Nijar, I agree with you too!! The value of reading book is undeniable, but in this case, I’d rather use online/offline dictionaries than look the word up manually, especially when I need to know the pronunciation swiftly, it’s much easier to listen the voice instead of reminding phonetic symbols ;) by the way, I like your statement, “dealt the disease with disease-vaccine” it’s a good expression :) 

03:13 PM Jun 03 2013 |

2 people like this

park216

South Korea

Dictionaries? I used to use it, but not any more now, for insteading of using smartphone recently, in which there’re a lot of something interesting as like games.

01:46 PM Jun 03 2013 |

1 person likes this

Nijar

Nijar

Egypt

Dear DAMAVAND I do really agree with you, nevertheless till now I’d prefer to look up at dictionaries and find the word myself. I have my own library which for sure includes reference books which are very essential specially for  searches . The online dictionaries are  no doubt useful specially if you are in rush or outdoor, whatever the reference has the word with its different meanings, pronunciations, part of speech, AmE-BrE, formal-informal(as you know one word can have all of these), all these info in one tome. It’s not easy and takes more time sometimes , but learning and knowledge  need much patience if we want .English-English dictionaries are commendable for me, cause every time navigate I gain mocha vocab , dealt the disease with the disease-vaccine:) Amanda and Greta, I’ll screw up ,if I give the cold shoulder to the importance of reading a book and be only satisfied with internet stuffs, furthermore the dictionary which I have is mostly up to date and has the word E-mail:-). Have a book, turn on calm music, stretch your body on a sofa or a couch … and definitely you won’t forget your glasses:) HEEE!!   

01:38 PM Jun 03 2013 |

Levi3262

Levi3262

Brazil

I can not remember the last time I’ve used a dictionary to search something, but at internet, I use this every day :)

11:24 AM Jun 03 2013 |

1 person likes this

izac

izac

South Korea

I still have a dictionary at home. But I never use this since I was a university


student. In fact, I am still learning English even though I am an old guy.


I almost use my electronic dictionary. It is easy to find some words quickly.


 All of dictionaries are both big and heavy. It is uncomfortable.


I can not see studnets who brought dictionaries at the library. Thnigs have


changed. But sometimes I miss using a dictionary.

07:12 AM Jun 03 2013 |

naira71

naira71

Azerbaijan

I seems strange that I use big and small dictionaries and dont think that they become obsolete.A person learning foreign languages  needs dictionaries near.

06:40 AM Jun 03 2013 |

NuriaRuiz

NuriaRuizSuper Member!

Spain

I have a lot of dictionaries english-spanish because every teacher I have had wants one specific dictionary.I don’t know why.

06:16 AM Jun 03 2013 |

Ngubo Sixtus

South Africa

I do like this subject. dictionaries are out dated by the internet.

04:41 AM Jun 03 2013 |

DAMAVAND

DAMAVAND

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Normally, searching a word with the help of auto-correction is much easier and faster than turning over and manual looking up, smartphone applications do it well, you can also get rid of carrying several heavy books by using various dictionaries in your cellphone, just considering the convenient access to the internet ;) I’ve had an encyclopedic dictionary for a long time, however, I rarely use it in these days, I still like it, it’s one of my nostalgic books :)

02:47 AM Jun 03 2013 |

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