Choosing Learner’s Dictionaries: What to Consider Julia Eka Rini CONEST 6 Petra Christian University LTBI Atma Jaya Catholic University Nov 30-Dec 1, 2009
Feb 24, 2016
Choosing Learner’s Dictionaries: What to Consider
Julia Eka RiniCONEST 6
Petra Christian UniversityLTBI Atma Jaya Catholic University
Nov 30-Dec 1, 2009
What is compared• content • the way of presenting information• Macmillan English Dictionary for
Advanced Learners(MED) (2002) • Cambridge Advanced Learner's
Dictionary (CALD) (2003).
Headwords – “square”MED CALD
Basis: wordclass Basis: meaning. four headwords with homograph numbers: noun, adjective, verb, adverb
five entries of "square"; same wordclass can appear repeatedly
Basis: frequency Basis: core meaning -in red-As adjective two stars (very common words) - as verb one star (fairly common words)
-all in blue-E" (stands for "essential") inside a circle, the most common and useful word -A (stands for advanced, namely words to make your English really fluent and natural) inside a circle
MED CALDmore than four lexical units in MED, the core meaning is written in a separate box under the headword.
no such numbered summary written separately in a box; only the meanings of each homograph and the title of separate "phrasal verbs with square" are written in a separate box.
Definitions
• content.– definitions should not be lengthy or
vague.• form
– the language used for encoding its content, and this includes grammatical structures as well as words" ;it should not be difficult to understand.
Atkins and Rundell (2008:431)
• MED has 2500 defining words• No defining words. CALD uses
easy words and structure, e.g. If you….
• at least one example in both dictionaries due to the type of users. Since both MED and CALD are for advanced learners, they might need the dictionaries for both decoding and encoding purposes.
MED CALDSTYLE The same, informal is written in full
wordregional labels
-square / / verb [T] "square the circle" Br E (British English) -Am E (American English),
UK, US
Grammar
Transitive - [T]Countable - [C]
Pronunciation
Variation not given given
us
Cross reference in CALD
• The Square Mile UK the City->See at the City FINANCIAL CENTRE.
• This also provides some cultural information about that particular place.
• Only CALD has domain label; it is written "specialized" and an example is given (see "square" with the meaning of "shape" as adjective.
Cross referencein MED
Square1 a shape….1a1b one of the small sections that the
board is divided into in games such as chess and draughts – picture --> SHAPE
MED and CALD have separate blocks for fixed expression, idioms and phrasal verbs.
CALD MED
"square the circle" is put under "square" as a verb. The difference is in phrasal verbs.
phrasal verbs are put under "square" as verb.
a separate section for phrasal verbs because it organizes the headword based on meaning.
Compounds are given headword status
Common learner errorDo not use mortal to describe an illness that can
kill someone. Mortal can be used with this meaning, but it is a formal, literary word and you should use the word fatal instead.
We can now cure diseases which were mortal a few years ago
We can now cure diseases which were fatal a few years ago
MED CALD
- idiom finder word families
Defining vocabulary (2500 words)
-
Pragmatic information - "How should Iknow?" expression of feelings in words or sentences like this can influence communication in the real world
Language awareness
Study sections
Idiom finder
Idiom finderfight a losing battle p456 a heavy cross to bear p291be like a bear with a sore head p97
Word familiesNouns Adjectiv
esVerbs Adverbs
public, publication, publicist, publicity
public publicize
publicly
punishment punishable,punishing
punish punishingly
purification, purist, purity, impurity, purifier
pure, impure
purify purely
Language Awareness in MED
• Numbers• Phrasal verbs• Academic writing• Metaphor• Computer words
Language Awarenesscontinued
• Pragmatics• Spoken discourse• Sensitivity: avoiding offence• British and American English• Business English• Word formation