1、How to Use Dictionaries in English Language LearningContentsWhy dictionaries?1Which one to choose?2How to use it?3Q&A4Why do English language learners need dictionaries?Why dictionaries?A craftsman who wishes to practice his craft well must first sharpen his tools.Dictionaries help us learn new word
2、s.Dictionaries help us contextualize new vocabulary.Dictionaries help us build learner autonomy.Which dictionary should an English language learner choose?Which one?v With so many dictionaries on the market,sometimes it is simply baffling for the learner to choose one.Here are some things that neede
3、d to be considered:Types of dictionaries Native dictionaries vs.learners dictionaries Monolingual dictionaries vs.bilingual/bilingualized dictionariesTypes of dictionariesv Paper dictionariesTraditional;long-lasting and relatively cheap.Can be used as desk dictionaries.v Online/Computerized dictiona
4、ries These dictionaries offer a vast amount of living examples,exercises and other language activities;they are also easy to use with user-friendly search engines and interface.Most of the online dictionaries are ;www.merriam-;v Palmtop dictionaries A big plus of palmtop dictionaries is that they ho
5、ld a large amount of data in a small space,sometimes several paper dictionaries.The biggest problem lies,paradoxically,in their ease of use.Many students treat them as pocket translators rather than serious tools of study.BACK贫穷大小Big&smallWhats the difference between a native language dictionary and
6、 a learners dictionary?n.1 a an umbelliferous plant,Daucus carota,with a tapering orange-coloured root.b this root as a vegetable.-The Concise Oxford Dictionary(COD9)noun 1 U,C a long pointed orange root vegetable.-Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary(OALD6)ExampleLearners dictionary Native language
7、dictionary Native language dictionaryl lspellingl lpronunciation l lmeaning Learners dictionariesl lspellingl lpronunciation l lmeaning l lgrammarl lcollocationl lregister(语域语域)About learners dictionaries To make monolingual English dictionaries easily accessible to foreign learners.The first Englis
8、h learners dictionary The New Method English Dictionary was made by Michael West in 1935.Today most learners dictionaries adopt a controlled defining vocabulary of 2-3000 words.Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary(6thedition,2000,OALD6)Collins COBUILD English Dictionary for Advanced Learners(3rdediti
9、on,2001,COBUILD3)Macmillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners(2002,MED)Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English(4thedition,2003,LDOCE4)Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary(2ndedition,2003,CALD2)A list of learners dictionaries Detailed grammatical information Attention to collocation Rich e
10、xamples Information about word frequencies Explanatory notes Features of learners dictionariesExamples Detailed grammatical informationsuggest v.tr.1(often foll.by that+clause)propose(a theory,plan,or hypothesis)(suggested to them that they should wait;suggested a different plan).-The Concise Oxford
11、 Dictionary(COD9)suggest verb 1 sth(to sb)to put forward an idea or a plan for other people to think about SYN PROPOSE:VN May I suggest a white wine with this dish,Sir?A solution immediately suggested itself to me(=I immediately thought of a solution).V(that)I suggest(that)we go out to eat.V-ing I s
12、uggested going in my car.VN that It has been suggested that bright children take their exams early.(BrE also)It has been suggested that bright children should take their exams early.-Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary(OALD6)You cannot suggest somebody something:Can you suggest me a good dictionary?
13、HELPDetailed grammatical information1.anounphrase,2.anounphraseplusaprepositionalphraseto somebody(notsuggest somebody something),3.athatclause(withthatbeingoptional),4.theingformofaverbphrase;5.andthatinaconstructionlike“Ithasbeensuggestedthat.”thewordthatisobligatory;6.andthatinBritishEnglishthere
14、maybethemodalauxiliaryshouldintheverbphraseofthethatclause,otherwisetheverbisinitsbaseform.Suggest canbefollowedbyDetailed grammatical information wind11 strong/high winds The forecast is for strong winds and heavy rain.|gale/hurricane force winds The light wind ruffled the water.rain11 heavy/torren
15、tial/pouring rain(=a lot of rain)There will be heavy rain in most parts of the country.|The light rain had stopped.Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English(LDOCE4 2003)Attention to collocationhave knowledge acquire/gain knowledge(=learn something)technical/scientific knowledge in-depth knowledge d
16、etailed knowledge specialist knowledge(=knowledge about a particular subject)first-hand/personal knowledge(knowledge from experiencing something for yourself).You need specialist knowledge to do this job.|+of His knowledge of ancient civilization is unrivalled.|+about the need to increase knowledge
17、about birth control|Many of the students did not have much knowledge of American history.|salesmen with good technical knowledge of what they are selling.Knowledge(LDOCE4)Attention to collocationRich examplesLDOCE4 contains the largest number of examples155,000 in all.On its CD-ROM there are 80,000
18、additional examples plus over a million corpus sentences.Information about word frequenciesLDOCE4 marks the first 3000 most frequently used words in speech and writing in the form of S1S2S3W1W2W3In Macmillan English Dictionary there are also three frequency bands,but they cover about 7,300 words:230
19、0 very high frequency words 2360 high frequency words 2640 quite high frequency words.Information about word frequenciesCOBUILD3 distinguishes five frequency bands totaling 14,600 words:680 words 1040 words 1580 words 3200 words 8100 words Information about word frequenciesInformation about word fre
20、quencies3000talk about a wide range of everyday topics and read simplified English books 7000have a basic working knowledge of English 14000as proficient as a good English-major graduateHow many English words do you have?Explanatory notesLDOCE4WORD CHOICE:call,phone,telephone,ringIn spoken English,i
21、t is usual to say that you call or phone someone:He calls me almost every day.|Phone me when you get there.In spoken British English,it is also very usual to say that you ring someone:Have you rung Kim yet?It is fairly formal and not very usual in spoken English to say that you telephone someone.LDO
22、CE4WORD FOCUS:words meaning CHEAPreasonable not too expensive|economical used about cars,systems,or methods that do not cost a lot of money to use|be good value to be well worth the price you pay|be a bargain to be very cheap Explanatory notesLDOCE4GRAMMAR(just)in casein case is followed by the simp
23、le present,the simple past,or should:Write it down in case you forget(NOT in case you will forget).|I had a snack,just in case there was no time(NOT in case there would be no time)to eat later.|Heres a contact number,in case there should(NOT will/would)be a problem.Explanatory notesBACKWhats the dif
24、ference between bilingual dictionaries and bilingualized dictionaries?A bilingual dictionary(双语词典)is one in which the headwords are in one language and the definitions in another language.Bilingualized dictionaries(双解词典)are native language dictionaries with foreign language translation.新英汉词典新英汉词典(A
25、New English-Chinese Dictionary,2000)Bilingual dictionariesOxford Advanced Learners English-Chinese Dictionary牛津高阶英汉双解词牛津高阶英汉双解词典典,1997Bilingualized dictionariesMyadvice(1)StartbyusingabilingualizedEnglishlearnersdictionaryandswitchtothelatesteditionofamonolinguallearnersdictionary.Which dictionary?M
26、yadvice(2)DoinstallacomputerizeddictionaryonyourPC.Which dictionary?Myadvice(3)Betternottousepocketdictionariesandpalmtopelectronicdictionarieswithoutexamples.Whenyoudousepalmtopdictionaries,treatthemwiththedignityandrespectathickpaperdictionarydeserves.Which dictionary?How should language learners
27、use their dictionaries?How to use dictionariesv Now you have made your pick of dictionaries!How to use them?Here are a few guidelines.Read the guide to the dictionary and familiarize yourself with all the symbols,abbreviations,and note markers.(Turn to dictionaries for example.)When you look up a wo
28、rd in the dictionary,make sure you find the following information:pronunciation,its meaning in the context,examples,and collocation.Consolidate what youve just learned by making a few sentences of your own or by finishing the exercises provided.Pay special attention to any notes attached differences
29、 between AmE&BrE,usage notes,etc.If possible,try to extend your knowledge of the word other major meanings,grammar notes,synonyms/antonyms,reflections,etc.Lets take“suggest”as an example!Everything about him suggested a carefully dressed authority.v Look up this word in:Longman Dictionary of Contemp
30、orary English(4th edition,2003,LDOCE4)Cambridge Advanced Learners Dictionary(2nd edition,2003,CALD2)And their respective computerized versions.LayoutAll meanings listed under the same headword,each with respective synonymsDefinitionsPlainer With related phrasesOthersWord origin,phrase bank,examples
31、bankLanguage activator with synonyms listed under different contextsLayoutThe word has 3 entries,each with a different meaning with respective synonyms,verb endings,and word buildingDefinitionsSimple enoughPhrases incorporated into examplesOthersSmart thesaurus with all the synonyms and examples listed LDOCE 4CALD 2Do you have any questions?
