[Lexicog] Re: Info on English language dictionaries (comparision)

[Thapelo Otlogetswe]

English dictionaries have improved and become very good for some of us who use English as a second language. Three dictionaries are my favourite: The Macmillan English Dictionary (2007), NODE (New Oxford Dictionary of English), LDCE (Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English) and Collins Cobuild Learners' Dictionary. Judgements on dictionary merits are largely subjective. I like the Cobuild for its definition style, NODE for its treatment of etymology and the Macmillan & Longman for their elaborate treatment of entries. 

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Thapelo J. Otlogetswe




--- On Sat, 6/6/09, thlcolmdubh <Scat at cfl.rr.com> wrote:

From: thlcolmdubh <Scat at cfl.rr.com>
Subject: [Lexicog]  Re: Info on English language dictionaries (comparision)
To: lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com
Date: Saturday, June 6, 2009, 2:42 AM










        










I too am awaiting the reply.  I am unlikely to change my stance that the ORD 3rd ed. should be primary for British English and the Merriam-Webster for American English.  I once devoted a single hour in a Senior English class to a comparative study of English language dictionaries.  The word got out and my prep school students found no seats in the classroom because prospective English teachers from the sponsoring university had taken all the seats.  I made all of the university students leave until my students were seated and let them argue over who got the ten remaining seats.  The rest crowded around the door to listen. 
I do believe that there is a market for such a site.   
It is not just a matter of strengths and weaknesses but choices; e.g., some dictionaries list the oldest meaning first; others list the most common meaning first.  The important thing is knowing which does what. 
   
N. Scott Catledge, PhD/STD 
Professor Emeritus 
history & languages
--- In lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com, "Ivaylo Ivanov" <ivaylo at ...> wrote:
>
> Hi to all,
> 
> Can you point me to a source with a description of all the major English Language (monolingual) dictionaries - namely, Oxford English Dictionary, Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Collins Cobuild Dictionary, Macmillan, Cambridge, Merriam-Webster, etc.
> 
> Especially sources that describe the differences between their editions, e.g. Oxford English Dictionary vs. Shorter Oxford English Dictionary vs. Concise Oxford English Dictionary, etc.
> 
> Wikipedia fails to give a comprehensive information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monolingual_learner's_dictionary
> 
> What are the major strengths and weaknesses of the different publishers (Collins vs. Oxford vs. Longman vs. Cambridge, etc.)?
> 
> Thank you in advance!
>










    
    







 




      
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