UNIT 1 : USE OF THE DICTIONARY

 PARTS OF THE DICTIONARY

 Pronunciation Key : It is the representation of sounds

(symbols) used for the reader to understand the phonetic
system and standard used in the dictionary.
 Abbreviations : It refers to the list of all abbreviations
related to grammar,origin and special particularities of
words .
 Verbs List : Some dictionaries show a list of regular and
irregular verbs .

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Guide Words : It relates to the word at the top of the page that helps
you find the word on a page .
The Guide Word on the left page shows the 1st word in that side and
the one on the right page refers to the last word finishing it.
Entry Word : It is the word that is explained in the dictionary .
 Etymology : It explains the origin of a source word .
Parts of Speech : It refers to the grammar .
Definition : It covers the complete meaning (s) of the word .
Pronunciation: It shows the way a word must be pronounced.
 Specialized Meaning: It refers to the meaning of words in specific
areas of Knowledge.

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 TYPES OF DICTIONARY
 BOOK
Advantages:
Familiarity – You already know how to use it .

Ownership – there is one at home so , you don't need to buy one.

Disadvantages:

Size - many dictionaries are large and heavy. Small (pocket-sized)

dictionaries have much less information and can be hard to read.

Speed - finding a word can be a slow process

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CD –ROM
Advantages

Fast to find a word

Lots of Information
Light Weight
Small Size
Pictures Included

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 Disadvantages
You need a computer
It takes long time to access it when computer is not working.
Some CD-ROM’s are not well designed.

 INTERNET
 Advantage
It’s Free
 Disadvantages
Connection to Internet required
Speed Connection may be slow
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According to their use, there are 2 types of Dictionaries :

 General
 Specialised

GENERAL: These are normal dictionaries that give you information

about the most common words in English.

SPECIALISED: These are dictionaries with words

useful for special groups of people.
-Learner’s dictionaries.
-Bilingual for translating .
-Technical for professionals .
-Thesaurus list words with similar meanings
together

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Dictionaries for particularities in the Language
Phrasal Verbs ,Slangs, Spanglish,Idioms
Dictionaries for Varieties of English
American, British,African- American, Canadian ,Chicano,
Aboriginal, Caribbean ,Nigerian ,South African.

Benefits of Using a Dictionary

1.-Correct Spelling of words and plural forms.
2.-Pronunciation.
3.-Different Meanings
4.-Special uses of words.
5.-Word Derivations.

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Tips for Using a Dictionary
 Get Familiar with the Alphabetical order
 Use Guide Words.
 Don’t give up a word search. Look up for a different ortography
of the word.
 Consider other meanings different from the 1st you find .

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