Poll: What is your go-to dictionary for US English? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What is your go-to dictionary for US English?".
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| | | | | Merriam-Webster International | Jul 2, 2021 |
"Webster's Third New International Dictionary," to be precise. The unabridged version. It's the standard for many organizations, including one for which I wrote the style manual. Note: In the past, I've noticed that some of their abridged versions didn't match the unabridged. Now that the unabridged is online and available to download, there's no justification for using an abridged version.
FWIW, I've been trying to sell my hardcopy second edition online. I was already able to sell my firs... See more "Webster's Third New International Dictionary," to be precise. The unabridged version. It's the standard for many organizations, including one for which I wrote the style manual. Note: In the past, I've noticed that some of their abridged versions didn't match the unabridged. Now that the unabridged is online and available to download, there's no justification for using an abridged version.
FWIW, I've been trying to sell my hardcopy second edition online. I was already able to sell my first edition, a relic that one of my supervisors stuck to for many years past its official lifespan.
[Edited at 2021-07-02 22:12 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Mario Freitas 
Brazil
Local time: 21:53
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
It's funny to choose a single dictionary as the best or to open single dictionaries when you have so many resources to search multiple dictionaries at once, and get all possible definitions from all the best dictionaries at once, but well...
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Even if I translated to or from American I wouldn’t need one. I translate business documents. They don’t use words I don’t know. Nor would I inflict such words on my readers.
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Though my main pair is EN-PT I don’t usually translate from US English, so my dictionaries of choice are all British: Oxford and Longman (both in print and online). I still have a very old (from 1933) Oxford Universal Dictionary Illustrated…
| | | | | Merriam Webster | Jul 3, 2021 |
- because it is handy and online. As a supplement, I consult the Chicago Manual of Style.
Most of the time, however, I use UK English, often starting with the Concise Oxford or Oxford Advanced Learner's - again, because they are handy and online to check spelling, definitions and what they can offer.
Then, depending on the subject area and what I am checking, I have a whole collection of other resources, hardback and online ...
| | | | Baran Keki
Türkiye
Local time: 03:53
Member
English to Turkish
I take it this poll is intended for native English speakers only, why else would anyone translating from English 'go to' a US dictionary?
As for me, the majority of the texts I translate from English are written by non-native English speakers (Europeans), so there is no dictionary available to understand the workings of German or Dutch mind... (and they seem to be using an annoying mixture of American and British English)
Since this topic is about American English, I wonder if people... See more I take it this poll is intended for native English speakers only, why else would anyone translating from English 'go to' a US dictionary?
As for me, the majority of the texts I translate from English are written by non-native English speakers (Europeans), so there is no dictionary available to understand the workings of German or Dutch mind... (and they seem to be using an annoying mixture of American and British English)
Since this topic is about American English, I wonder if people (translating from English into various languages) prefer answers given in American English over British English for Kudoz questions.
I used to notice that in my language pair almost 80 to 90 percent of the answers given in Am English (for example "Police lineup" as opposed to "Identity Parade") would get more agrees and points. I wonder if something like this is the case with other languages. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Merriam Webster | Jul 3, 2021 |
because it's easily accessible online, although I have to deactivate AdBlock.
I also have a real one in 3 volumes that I was given in lieu of payment by a customer over 30 years ago.
I found it useful when checking drafts because it shows the possible end-of-line divisions.
That doesn't seem to be so necessary now, all the printers (I mean people, not machines) have a program of some kind so there is very little to correct.
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I think the "Merriam" part came much later, after I was required, in 1970, to purchase "Webster's New World Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language", for my university freshman English 101 course. I now use the online "Merriam Webster" version more than any other online dictionary of the English (US) language.
[Edited at 2021-07-03 18:42 GMT]
[Edited at 2021-07-04 15:44 GMT]
| | | | | recommendations? | Jul 6, 2021 |
I do not really have a go to dictionary for English because I usually search it on the internet and use different sources to make sure. Well, do you guys have any recommendations? It will be a huge help.
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