Say What You Mean: Using a Bilingual Dictionary
A bilingual dictionary is essential for a language learner. If you don't have one already, invest in one now. Each dictionary has its own personality, and it can be very interesting to look up the same word in several dictionaries to compare what they say about it. While perusing dictionaries may not be your idea of fun, any student of language needs to be aware of how a bilingual dictionary works and what its limitations are.
A bilingual dictionary can be your best friend or worst enemy. You have to use it carefully, or you may end up saying things you had no intention of saying. You should also learn about the features a good bilingual dictionary includes so you can take full advantage of the tools at your fingertips.
Features of a Bilingual Dictionary
Bilingual dictionaries generally offer more than an alphabetical listing of words in one language with their equivalents in another. In addition to the word entries, any bilingual dictionary worth your time and money will have a good number of the following helpful features:
A pronunciation guide for one or both languages
An explanation of how entries are arranged and marked
A basic grammar
A list of abbreviations used
Verb conjugation charts, including regular and major irregular verbs
Correspondence models, including formulaic expressions for a variety of written communications
Alphabetic guide words at the top or bottom of the page
A thumb index to quickly turn to each alphabetic section
Next, look over the word entries. Each entry should include a majority of the following elements:
Pronunciation guide to the entry word
Syllable division of the word
Origin of the word
Part(s) of speech of the word
Gender of nouns
Brief explanations to clarify specific usage of different equivalents
Indication of fields in which particular equivalents are used: engineering, zoology, etc.
Idiomatic uses of the word or phrases that include it
Indications of regional uses or origin
Indications of register: formal, informal, colloquial
So, a good bilingual dictionary has a lot more than lists of words and their translations.
Choosing a Bilingual Dictionary
All dictionaries are not created equal. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. Be aware that there are good dictionaries, bad ones, and those that are perfectly suited to certain applications but not to others. There are also plenty of dictionaries in between these extremes. You can find many specialized dictionaries: for business, for medical purposes, children's dictionaries, etc. Aside from the obvious monetary consideration, when you are buying a bilingual dictionary, think about how you plan to use it, and what you want it to do for you.
What about online and electronic dictionaries? Well, they have their uses, but keep in mind that they are typically programmed for simple word substitution, and do not normally offer you the expanded content of a dictionary entry. This can make it hard for you to decide which equivalent is the one you want. A pocket-sized translation computer can be very handy on a trip, but it probably won't be as useful for more complex applications.
So, there you are in the bookstore, looking at twenty or more dictionaries in your price range. How do you decide which one to choose? A good technique is to look up a word like “get,” which has at least fifty definitions in English. Don't buy any bilingual dictionary that doesn't help you sift through the differences between “get” meaning “acquire” and “get” meaning “become,” for example. A good bilingual dictionary should also include a fair number of the idiomatic phrases that include “get” like “get ahead, get off, get around.”
Choosing the Right Word
Words acquire much of their meaning from the context in which they are used. For example, the word “run” can refer to a scoring play in baseball or a long hole in a stocking, or can be a warning to make a hasty departure! When looking words up in the dictionary, you must always consider what part of speech they are and what context they are being used in so you can choose the appropriate equivalent. Let's imagine you are shopping for some beautiful ceramics in Puebla, Mexico, but you can't remember how to say “plate.” You look it up in your dictionary and find all sorts of options ranging from the nouns, Excerpted from
(prize)
(Relig — collection ˜)
(Phot)
dinner at $100 a ˜:
(dish)
If you chose
Choose a dictionary to suit your needs. A slimmed-down traveler's dictionary won't help you understand newspaper articles or the lyrics to your favorite song. By the same token, a seven-pound reference book is impractical on a backpacking trip through South America.
Sometimes you'll find several possibilities and no clue to help you choose. The best way to handle this is to look each option up in the opposite section of the dictionary. You'll probably be able to figure out which one you need.
Now let's look up words you don't understand from some sentences in Spanish. Look for context clues within each sentence to help you choose the right English equivalent for the underlined word.
Thanks to your dictionary, you no doubt discovered that
So, you're off to a good start! With a good dictionary, a good book, and a desire to learn, you'll make great progress on your Spanish journey.
