I just used a dictionary to choose between words in another post, and it got me thinking, how many people consult dictionaries regularly to help in word use/spelling?
Do you own a dictionary(ies)?
Do you use on-line dictionaries, or book form?
Do you have one handy right now?
When is the last time you used it?
Do you use it for work? Social/recreational purposes such as posting on message boards?
If you do not use a dictionary, why not?
Anything else you want to say about your dictionary use/non-use?
For some reason, even when I am on line, I tend to use book dictionaries instead of on-line ones.
I have a MW Collegiate Dictionary in my office, Black’s law dictionary, and Dorland’s medical dictionary, and there is an unabridged in the library down the hall.
I have no idea how many I have at home. Probably at least 10, including one unabridged - definitely the heaviest book in the house.
I use English language dictionaries maybe once a week. Less often for work than for social communication, mainly because my work does not require that I be particularly subtle or creative. Whereas, I often find myself wanting to be precise in my personal word usage. When expressing a personal thought, I often find myself wanting to choose between a couple of words, and needing to see what connotations they may have.
I also regularly consult a dictionary whenever I encounter a word I do not know - which doesn’t happen all that much.
And we have a deal where the kids get a buck if they can present me a word that I don’t know, and then find it in a dictionary.
I use a dictionary whenever my intuitive grasp of the language fails me and I need to reassure myself. Then again, I am not a native speaker (of English), so I’ve got an excuse.
Do you use on-line dictionaries, or book form? Yes. Both
Do you have one handy right now? Not in book form
When is the last time you used it? Today
Do you use it for work? Social/recreational purposes such as posting on message boards? recreational purposes: namely, when I am curious about a words etymology. That’s what around 80% of my lookups have been for lately, the other 20% are to bolster my GD arguments.
I’m a freelance copyeditor, so my answers will skew the results a bit.
Do you own a dictionary(ies)?
Two that I consult regularly (MW 10 Collegiate and MW3 Unabridged); others that I’ve collected over the years. I toyed with the idea of getting the OED on CD-ROM a few years ago, but decided I coudn’t afford it.
Do you use on-line dictionaries, or book form?
Both. I have MW10 on CD-ROM, as well as the books mentioned above.
Do you have one handy right now?
MW3 is right behind me; MW 9 and 10 unabridged are on the shelf below; MW10 Electronic is open and running on my computer.
When is the last time you used it?
MW3 and MW10 Electronic both within the last hour.
Do you use it for work? Social/recreational purposes such as posting on message boards?
Both. Social/recreational uses include making sure that a word means what I think it means, and Scrabble (natch). MW3 also makes a handy kid booster seat, if you cover it with a thick towel to protect against spillage.
If you do not use a dictionary, why not?
N/A
Anything else you want to say about your dictionary use/non-use?
I also subscribe to MW’s Word of the Day. I already know about half the words they send me, and probably retain about half of the rest.
I also have an assortment of foreign-language paperback dictionaries (picked up for copyediting novels with lots of foreign dialogue) as well as my Langenscheidt’s German disctionary, a gift from my high school German teacher. Also Taber’s medical and Black’s law dictionaries. A dictionary of cooking terms (picked up when I copyedited the author’s cooking textbook a few years back). A few other small specialty dictionaries.
Compulsive consulter of dictionaries – particularly for etymology.
Concise Oxford (on paper) next to the computer at home – where internet access is dial-up. I want to get a copy of the Complete Oxford – one of these days, when the nice folk at Oxford bring their CD price down like the Brittanica people did. {fingers crossed}
Merriam-Webster On-line bookmarked on my browser toolbar at work; used, and appreciated frequently. Wonderful site… providing one doesn’t mind ahem US usage.
Just wish we had Oxford access at work. (On the other hand, we’re expected to write in the “language” of our clients, who are mostly in the US… plus Canada and Oz just for variety of spelling and usage).
Do you own a dictionary(ies)?
Yup. There’s several lying around the house, though no really good ones. A pity.
Do you use on-line dictionaries, or book form?
Both. The online dictionaries are way more handy most of the time for my general usage (looking up words whilst writing papers), but I like book dictionaries when I’m reading a regular book and need to look up something quickly.
Do you have one handy right now?
Online versions, yes. Book, no. They’re all stored in bookcases in far distant rooms.
When is the last time you used it?
Last week, I suppose, when looking up a synonym for something.
Do you use it for work? Social/recreational purposes such as posting on message boards?
Yup and yup. I’m a student with far too many papers to write, so dictionaries and spellcheckers can get a workout sometimes. I also like to double-check meanings before I write anything, essays, message board posts, etc. I can get away with vague ideas of what “big words” mean sometimes in speech, but not so well in writing!
Anything else you want to say about your dictionary use/non-use?
I subscribe to MW’s Word of the Day thing too. Fun!
Also, when I was little, my mom used to make me look up words if I wanted to know how to spell them. She never would spell them for me. I hated that so much, but I got my revenge really quick – I memorized how to spell nearly every word I ever see fit to use. I’ve been called a human dictionary and a human spellchecker. I don’t know about that, but it certainly does help, so I must say thanks to my mom. Under much duress.
At work, we’ve got access to the on-line OED. Much coolness!
Oh, and I use online ones (M-W, bartleby.com, various specialized) and paper ones- I have two unabridged books at home- along with a few specialized ones, and two or three foreign language ones as well.
I’m a Tech Writer, with a degree in English Rhetoric and Professional Writing, what do you think?
Do you own a dictionary(ies)?
At least 2 - the Funk and Wagnalls Canadian College Dictionary, and a tiny pocket dictionary I’ve had since I was 5.
Do you use on-line dictionaries, or book form?
Both - Merriam Webster for working online.
Do you have one handy right now?
Just the Merriam Webster online version.
When is the last time you used it?
Probably over the weekend.
Do you use it for work? Social/recreational purposes such as posting on message boards?
Both. There are a number of Russians at work and I tend to use the dictionary to provide the clearest, most concise definition for them. In terms of recreation, my family has always used the dictionary to settle arguments - it helps with history, geography, language usage and etymology, tons of stuff. One night at supper I laughed to mom, “I bet we’re the only family around who has to pull out the dictionary twice at supper to settle a debate!” My brother pulled a disgusted face and returned, “we’re the only family I know of that even pulls it out once!”
Anything else you want to say about your dictionary use/non-use?
Other important reference materials include a World Atlas, Roget’s Thesaurus, Grammar guide, French-English dictionary, and Latin-English dictionary, to name a few.
Do you own a dictionary(ies)?
Yes. Longman’s English Dictionary (ca 1986)
Do you use on-line dictionaries, or book form?
Both. The former at work (bookmarked) and book at home.
Do you have one handy right now?
I’m at work, so on-line only.
When is the last time you used it?
Yesterday.
Do you use it for work?
Rarely (maybe twice a month or so)
Social/recreational purposes such as posting on message boards?
Slightly more frequently – say around once per week.
If you do not use a dictionary, why not?
N/a.
Anything else you want to say about your dictionary use/non-use?
I had a habit some years ago of keeping my dictionary handy when I was reading, and looking up any words that I didn’t immediately know. I would jot these down, along with their definition on a piece of paper (which I kept as a bookmark in the dictionary). This worked very well as a way of expanding my vocabulary.
I have 3 dictionaries, all Oxford. One concise and two paperbacks. There’s always one around. I mainly use them for definititions when I’m reading but I use them for spelling and usage too. I never use online dictionaries since having a dictionary handy has always been a habit.
One of the paperbacks has been around since about grade 7. At that time I used to underline anything I looked up because I saw it in the movie Say Anything and it seemed like a good thing to copy. I try not to use that dictionary because it seems like every word I look up is already underlined. I hate being confronted with the fact that I am still looking up the same words I looked up in middle school.
Do you own a dictionary(ies)?
Oxford’s English. (Can’t be bothered to get up and check edition right now:) And a couple of Norwegian dictionaries.
Do you use on-line dictionaries, or book form?
Both. I often Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary for quick look-ups or ethymology when I’m at the computer. (Or “Bokmåls- og Nynorskordboka” online for Norwegian.) Usually paper otherwise.
Do you have one handy right now?
Merriam-Webster’s and “Bokmåls- og Nynorskordboka”, both online. And the paper dictionaries if I could be bothered to get off my butt and walk 1,5 meters. (That’s 1.5 meters, or app. 4.9 foot, for you Americans:)
When is the last time you used it?
Yesterday.
Do you use it for work?
Yes, mostly Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary, occasionally I’ll borrow a paper one from the office next door.
Social/recreational purposes such as posting on message boards?
Yes, mostly Merriam-Webster’s online dictionary and “Bokmåls- og Nynorskordboka”.
Yes, I own several dictionaries.
I use an online dictionary frequently. (www.dictionary.com)
I have several reasonably ‘handy,’ on a shelf in my room and in the den.
Last time I used a dictionary? Today in class, looking up the slang term ‘waggish.’
I use it for work and for play.
I love dictionaries. I think it’s a shame we don’t use book ones as much anymore. I’m glad to see that some of you guys still do.
Yes. Merriam-Webster. I got a new one about three years ago to replace the one I got after I graduated from high school in 1988. I like to look at the old one to see which words did not appear in it, such as words or definitions as they apply to the Internet.
Do you use on-line dictionaries, or book form?
If I am already online I just use dictionary.com . It’s easy for me to just highlight and copy the word and then paste it into the box. Most online sources give a more superficial definition. If I want more in-depth information I turn to the old printed standby. If I am reading a printed book I tend to consult the printed dictionary.
Do you have one handy right now?
Nope, it’s upstairs and I’m at the computer downstairs.
When is the last time you used it?
A week ago. Online, I used it yesterday while at work.
Do you use it for work? Social/recreational purposes such as posting on message boards?
For work, yes. At home, yes, especially if I am writing a story or an email, or sometimes even an SDMB post, and I want to make sure I am using a word properly (in some cases I have saved myself from embarrassing mistakes by double-checking). Other times I use it is when I come across a word for which I do not know its meaning or usage.
** Do you own a dictionary(ies)? **
Yep. Two English dictionaries (A massive Reader’s Digest and an Oxford paperback) and two Spanish ones (Vox and a pocket dictionary I can’t remember the name of)
** Do you use on-line dictionaries, or book form? **
Both. When I need something quickly I’ll just pop over to dictionary.com
** Do you have one handy right now? **
Just the Vox Spanish one
** When is the last time you used it? **
Yesterday. I use the online one pretty much everyday.
** Do you use it for work? Social/recreational purposes such as posting on message boards? **
Both, including classwork.
I always use on line dictionaries, as whenever I am writing anything important, I’m never far from a computer, and subsequently, the internet. I also have a smallish dictionary in my Palm Pilot
Do you have one handy right now?
Yes, as I am online.
When is the last time you used it?
Can’t remember exactly, probably last week
Do you use it for work? Social/recreational purposes such as
posting on message boards?
I use it when ever I am unsure on the definition of a word. As I want to appear that I have a moderately advanced vocabulary, I use it a lot
Anything else you want to say about your dictionary use/non-use?
Two things:
I love the fact that with the opera internet browser, I can highlight a word, and right click it to get my drop down menu, which has a section labeled dictionary. With two clicks, I can look up any word written on line, with no typing involved. Very handy.
I love to read the dictionary. I can spend hours flipping around looking for words that I don’t know and reading up on them. Bonus if there are pictures!
Do you use on-line dictionaries, or book form?
Both.
Do you have one handy right now?
Yes.
When is the last time you used it?
Two hours ago.
Do you use it for work? Social/recreational purposes such as posting on message boards?
All of the above.
As to what kinds of dictionaries I own, here is a rundown:
OED
Petit Robert (French)
Larousse (French)
Japanese dictionary
Kanji dictionary
Japanese - French
French - Japanese
English - Japanese
Kanji - English
Japanese-Mandarin-Japanese
French - Spanish - French
