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Research draft

dictionary

vr.tr.dictionary · INF.MED

Let an agent handle dictionaries by type, publisher, edition, reliability and use for definitions, translation and language learning.

Thing Registry Information and virtual systems

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent handle dictionaries by type, publisher, edition, reliability and use for definitions, translation and language learning.

A reference work listing the words of a language or specialised field, usually alphabetically, with definitions, pronunciations, etymologies, translations or usage notes, in print or digital form, including bilingual dictionaries and phrasebooks.

What it is for: Looking up meanings, spellings, pronunciations and translations.

It can be choose a suitable dictionary; read entries and usage labels; check spelling and pronunciation; cite dictionary entries.

Distinguishing features

Word-based reference work

Many types

Descriptive or prescriptive

Regularly updated

What it looks like

Printed volumes, apps and websites with alphabetical entries.

How it is recognised

Headwords, definitions and labels

Monolingual and bilingual types

Thesauruses group synonyms instead

Related models

is a kind of - category

reference work and lexicographic work

lists - content

word

is compiled by - author

lexicographer

is related to - related work

thesaurus

In practice

Families and kinds

monolingual dictionaries

bilingual dictionaries

specialised and technical dictionaries

learner dictionaries

phrasebooks and pronouncing dictionaries

Identifiers

ISBN 13 digits print editions

Standards and regulation

ISO 1951 lexicographical symbols

Copyright and database rights

Failure modes and hazards

Using outdated editions

Treating one dictionary as authoritative for all usage

Unreliable free word lists

Also called

dictionary softwarephrase bookStreet Dictionaryconcise dictionaryhitchhiking phrasebookpronouncing dictionarysystematic dictionaryMoroccan Darija dictionarycolloquial dictionarysign language dictionaryproverb dictionarytranslation dictionaryvideo dictionaryDifferentiaeverse dictionarydictionary of paronymsdictionary of the English languageGerman dictionaries of loanwordsidioticonreverse dictionarymoral dictionaryDictionnaire biographique des évêques de QuébecDictionary of Civilization TermsRomani dictionarypicture dictionarydictionary of the Ngaju languagespecialized dictionarydictionary of foreign wordsdialect dictionaryword family dictionarythesauruslearner's dictionarytopic dictionaryrhyme dictionaryrhyming dictionaryconceptual dictionarysynonym dictionarypocket dictionaryDiccionario de términos médicosorthographic dictionary

+145

Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Choice Which dictionary.

Purpose decides choice.

Type

Kind.

Type

Dictionary type.

  1. Which kind of dictionary suits this need? action
  2. Which languages or field does it cover? definition

Edition

Currency.

Edition

Edition.

  1. Which edition is it, and when was it updated? provenance
  2. Who publishes it? provenance
Entries Reading entries.

Entries hold information.

Labels

Usage labels.

Labels

Usage labels.

  1. What do labels such as informal, offensive or dated mean? definition
  2. How should they guide usage? action

Pronunciation

IPA.

Pronunciation

Pronunciation.

  1. How is the pronunciation shown, such as IPA? definition
  2. Are regional variants given? provenance
Approach Descriptive or prescriptive.

Dictionaries differ.

Descriptive

Usage-based.

Descriptive

Descriptive approach.

  1. Does the dictionary record usage or prescribe correctness? definition
  2. What does that mean for this word? definition

Compare

Multiple sources.

Compare

Comparison.

  1. Do major dictionaries agree on this definition? provenance
  2. Which is more current? provenance
Use Citing and access.

Access routes vary.

Cite

Citation.

Cite

Citation.

  1. How should a dictionary entry be cited? action
  2. Which style guide applies? provenance

Access

Libraries and apps.

Access

Access.

  1. Is it available free or through a library? provenance
  2. Is there an accessible format? provenance

What the second pass must settle

  • Should dictionary types be separate entries?
  • How should dictionary APIs be linked?
  • How should usage labels be standardised?