[Lexicog] dictionaries for translators

[Benjamin Barrett]

Japanese translators commonly use a software program named Jammin (Jamming?)
that allows them to search multiple dictionaries with one search.
 
I generally just use online dictionaries, though. Functions I look for are
the ability to look up single characters (I do Japanese translation), name
readings of characters, and searches from either language. Notation of
fields of specialty indicated is sometimes welcome, though that can quickly
become burdensome when a word is used in multiple fields with the same
meaning.
 
Another important feature is spelling. With Eijiro, for example, you often
have to guess whether to use katakana, hiragana or characters to find plant
and animal names (although they have been working to make that more
consistent).
 
One feature of the Microsoft Bookshelf J/E dictionary I really like is you
can search for a word within any entry. Sometimes this will yield a word
being used within an entry that indicates context sufficiently to use for
translation.
 
The ability to add words and especially to add words from a personal
glossary would be invaluable as well.
 
HTH
Benjamin Barrett

-----Original Message-----
From: Ron Moe [mailto:ron_moe at sil.org] 


I would like to raise a new issue. I know that some of you are translators
as well as lexicographers. I have observed that professional translators
have dog-eared dictionaries--they use them all the time. I attended a
conference in Hong Kong devoted to the topic of "Translation and bilingual
dictionaries." The professional translators at the conference were very
interested in the topic.

Here's the question: Assuming that you are a translator and assuming that
your dictionary is electronic, what kind of a dictionary do you need and how
would you use it? The question presupposes that you could display your
dictionary in various ways electronically. What kind of ways would you want
to display the data? How would you want to navigate through the database?
What kind of information would you want to find, how do you want to find it,
and how do you want it to look when you find it?

Ron Moe
SIL International
Phoenix, Arizona

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