Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Bosskaikai]

Dear teachers:

I posted this question before, but no one respond.

It would be really helped if someone tell me!

Thanks a lot.

---below is the previous post---

I am an Asian. I want to buy a dictionary to help me learning English.
Would you please tell me what kind of dictionary is suitable for me?
Thanks a lot!!

Best wishes,
Bosskaikai : )

[CP]

Maybe no one responded because everyone's answer would be different, and the best dictionary for me might not be the best one for you.

For instance, I like a dictionary that gives good etymological information (roots and history of the words), and has an easy-to-understand pronunciation system and certain information about conjugation and variants. Maybe you are looking for something different in a dictionary.

I would suggest that you make up a list of 5-10 words that you would like good information about, then go to a good bookstore with a lot of dictionaries. Look up the words in several dictionaries, and give a numerical rating for the entries in each dictionary, perhaps on a scale of 1-10, with 10 the best.

Also check for what else is in the dictionaries--they all have more than just definitions--to see which features you like. Rate those features, too. My Webster's, for instance, has a nice essay about the history of the English language, lists of foreign words and phrases, biographical and geographical names, colleges and universities, signs and symbols, and a brief style handbook, all of which can be very useful.

The total scores will tell you which dictionaries you like best.

It's a little work, but it will give you the answers you seek.
_________________
You live a new life for every new language you speak. -Czech proverb

[pugachevV]

If you want convenience, get the software version of "The Concise Oxford Dictionary".