英英字典——英语学习的良师益友
Stick to print dictionaries
 

Q:

Dear Ralph, I'm a junior college student. Most of my teachers suggest we not use electronic dictionaries. They think we're upper-class students and should look up new words in a paper dictionary. But it's a big burden to have to carry a heavy dictionary around. So I went out and got an electronic dictionary. I find it more convenient, but I’m still confused. Can you give me some suggestion?  (Wallace, Chongqing)

 

A:

Your teachers are right. Electronic translations seldom match the precise accuracy that cloth (or paper) dictionaries offer. Some translations are just plain wrong. E-dictionaries also do not normally offer the thorough word-usage analyses found in paper dictionaries. Unless you’re using a particularly comprehensive, up-to-date e-dictionary, with examples of how to use each word, you will fall behind in any high-level English classes.

For mobility purposes, you might look into a small paper dictionary issued by a reputable publishing house. You can carry that to study halls without feeling too much burden. Despite their size, small dictionaries still carry most common words and offer exact translations with word usage examples. Keep a larger dictionary in your dorm room for questions that you can’t answer during study hall.

 

From JUST ASK, Page 7 of 21^ST CENTURY, September 26, 2007

    （熊：“学英语用什么字典好？是不是一定要用纸制的英语字典？用电子词典不行吗？有多大的区别啊？”有不少人问过这样的问题，我觉得当你学到一定程度最好有一本好的英英词典。因为再高级的电子词典在单词例句、语言用法上列出的信息肯定没有一般词典多。而且不少电子字典的翻译明显有错误，至于那个单词翻译那也更不敢恭维了。之所以提倡用英英字典就是即便是英汉字典对某词的汉语释义也会有所偏差，毕竟英语和汉语是两种不同的语言，可是用同一种语言解释就会比较明白，这样还有利于培养英语语感。市场上比较常见的有朗文、牛津的，还有柯林斯的也不错。我大学时一直用的是"朗文当代英语词典”（上图中那本），感觉受益匪浅。当然现在有更新版本的了。英英字典，开卷有益；长期坚持，定当终身受用。）