sing Dictionaries

Technology is changing the face of dictionaries. A short twenty or thirty years ago, a good graduation gift for a college-bound student was a hardcover dictionary. Today very few college students even own one because online dictionaries are so readily available. Using an online dictionary, you can look up a word in the time it takes to type it, as opposed to taking the time to flip pages and scan through a page of words in a print dictionary. On the other hand, a hard-copy dictionary is still a great backup if you’re unable to get online, and it can lead to some surprising discoveries of other words on the same page, just as browsing through a shelf of library books can put you in contact with books you might not have otherwise encountered.

The important issue is that you use a dictionary of some kind and that you understand what it can provide for you. Whether you use a print or online dictionary, the entries offer a wealth of information. Figure 17.2 includes some of the most common dictionary entry components. Following the list is a color-coded entry for “elementary” (from Dictionary.com, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary) showing where various parts of the entry can be found:

Figure 17.2

Types of Dictionaries Explained

General dictionaries

Each word contained in a general dictionary could have a number of meanings. In some dictionaries, you will find each separate meaning listed according to the order of usage frequency. The dictionary may also have limited synonym for a given word.

On the other hand, other dictionaries will simply list definitions of words based on their historical order, starting with the oldest usage.

Function: As the name suggests, a general dictionary is most suitable when searching for general meaning of a word, as opposed to a specialized dictionary that focuses on a specific area or field such as medicine or law.

Specialized dictionaries

The Manual of Specialized Lexicographies defines a specialized dictionary as one that particularly focuses on a specific subject area. This type of dictionary is also called a technical dictionary.

There are three types of a specialized dictionary:

• A multi-field dictionary: It extensively covers tons of subject areas or fields. A typical example is a business dictionary. Example of a multi-field dictionary is the 23-launguage Inter-Active Terminology for Europeans.
• A single-field dictionary: It covers a specific subject area (e.g. law) in a narrow manner. An example of a single-field dictionary is the American National Biography
• A sub-field dictionary: This one covers a more specialized area or field such as marriage law. An example of a sub-field dictionary is the African American National Biography Project.

A medical dictionary (glossary) for instance is also a typical example of a specialized dictionary.

Function: In essence, a specialized dictionary is most useful when researching specialized areas such as medicine, law, manufacturing, and other specialized fields.

Defining dictionaries

This is perhaps the simplest type of dictionary. It simply offers a main glossary of the most basic meanings of the simplest ideas or concepts. Subsequently, the explanation of other concepts can emerge.

 

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Cursive handwriting

توجه: براي ديدن نحوه نوشتن هريك از حروف بر روي آن كليك كنيد:

 

 

        ALL NEW! Cursive: Uppercase - Alphabet Animation         To see the animation, move your mouse over a letter.

 

نحوه نوشتن حروف كوچك را در ادامه مطلب بب

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Cursive handwriting

توجه: براي ديدن نحوه نوشتن هريك از حروف بر روي آن كليك كنيد:

 

 

        ALL NEW! Cursive: Uppercase - Alphabet Animation         To see the animation, move your mouse over a letter.

 

نحوه نوشتن حروف كوچك را در ادامه مطلب بب

happy Yalda

Iranians around the world celebrate Yalda, which is one of the most ancient Persian festivals. The festival dates back to the time when a majority of Persians were followers of Zoroastrianism prior to the advent of Islam.

On Yalda festival, Iranians celebrate the arrival of winter, the renewal of the sun and the victory of light over darkness.

Considered the longest night of the year, Yalda eve is the night when ancient Iranians celebrated the birth of Mithra, the goddess of light.

Yalda, which means birth, is a Syriac word imported into the Persian language. It is also referred to as Shab-e Chelleh, a celebration of winter solstice on December 21--the last night of fall and the longest night of the year.

Ancient Persians believed that evil forces were dominant on the longest night of the year and that the next day belonged to the Lord of Wisdom, Ahura Mazda.