022b - How to use a dictionary (properly) to learn English
Hello, hello, hello, and welcome to the first, the inaugural members-only English Learning for Curious Minds podcast.
Let me just start by saying a big thank you for your ongoing membership.
The podcast wouldn't be possible without your support and every one of you is the reason that I do the show.
I guess that most of you should know who I am by now, but just in case you need a reminder, I'm Alastair Budge. I'm the host of the podcast and the founder of Leonardo English.
Today we are going to talk about something that I think is pretty important when learning English, or any language for that matter, but that a lot of people don't fully appreciate.
And that thing is the dictionary.
Today it is time to talk about how to use a dictionary properly as part of your English learning toolkit.
And this isn't just going to be a list of the best dictionaries where afterwards you can go away with a shopping list of dictionaries to buy or apps to download. But I will give you a few hints on that front.
Oh no. Today we are going to talk about how to use a dictionary properly.
On one level you might think it's pretty self-explanatory. You look up the meanings of words you don't know and that you can't figure out through context and whether it's a huge, big paper one that you have sitting on your desk, a mini one that you keep in your pocket if you're out and about, if it's an app on your phone or even Google Translate.
The purpose of a dictionary is pretty simple. It tells you the meanings of words, and yes, of course at a basic level, this is correct.
But this would be like looking at one of the cars used in a James Bond film and thinking, well, it's probably quite a good car to go and get some shopping in.
Yes, of course it can do that, but if you think of it purely in these terms, then you're missing out on a huge amount that will really help you get the most out of using a dictionary and help you increase your vocabulary, be a more effective learner, and ultimately improve your English faster than you might do otherwise.
So firstly, let's look at the different types of dictionaries that you can use, as this is actually quite an important choice for you to make.
When learning English, or when learning any language really, you can choose either a monolingual dictionary or a bilingual dictionary. In case you don't know what those words mean, a monolingual dictionary means that the meaning of an English word will be explained in English, while with a bilingual dictionary, the meaning will be explained in another language, in your mother tongue.
For beginners and for anyone who is up to about an intermediate level, a bilingual dictionary is normally preferred. This is because with a monolingual dictionary, if you can't understand the words that are being explained in the definition, well, life is going to be pretty difficult.
Good monolingual dictionaries should always use simple words in the explanation of a more complicated word, but even though they do this, it'll always be harder than if there was a translation given in your mother tongue.
But for language learners of intermediate level and above, both bilingual and monolingual dictionaries can be used. And it just depends on personal preference.
All of you, I believe, should be at an intermediate level and above, and so you can choose which one you prefer.
Now there are different views on this, and once people decide that they prefer one particular type, it's normally quite hard to change their mind. People are pretty stuck in their ways and internet forums are full of people arguing one way or the other.
Monolingual dictionaries are normally preferred in academic institutions such as university.
When I was at university, for example, studying French and Italian, we were forced to use monolingual dictionaries. The reason for this is that as we are already at a decent enough level to learn new vocabulary in context, and the theory was that we should be exposed to as much of the target languages as possible, that we should be thinking, writing, reading, dreaming in that language in a real state of total immersion.
So that was why we were made to use monolingual dictionaries. But there are those that say that they really don't like monolingual dictionaries, saying that they make the process of finding the meaning of a word much harder and more time-consuming. And what this does is it distracts from the flow of reading or listening in the target language.
Steve Kaufman, the famous polyglot and founder of thelinguist.com says that he finds that monolingual dictionaries slow him down, and therefore in the long run they reduce the amount of exposure he has to what he calls meaningful content.
So his view is that monolingual dictionaries are less efficient and actually that the net effect on language learning is negative. So he doesn't like them at all, and he prefers a bilingual dictionary.
This podcast could go on for hours, days, even if I went through all of the arguments for and against bilingual or monolingual dictionaries, and at the end of the day, it just depends on what you're most comfortable with.
It also doesn't have to be an either or situation. You can use both.
And given that there are so many fantastic free dictionaries available online, you will find out what works for you.
All of the definitions in the key vocabulary for the English Learning for Curious Minds podcast, as you will know, are given in English, as we want to be an intensive English only resource.
However, of course, you can make up your own list in your own language or look up any word in a bilingual dictionary if the definition provided in English isn't sufficiently clear and naturally as your English level improves and your vocabulary increases, you'll find it easier and easier to use a monolingual dictionary if you so choose.
Okay. So the choice of what type of dictionary to use, either monolingual or bilingual is up to you.
How you actually use a dictionary though it's something that lots of people don't get right, meaning that they end up looking up the meaning of a particular word there and then, but then they don't really do anything more to try to actually cement that word in their memory.
Meaning that when they come across the word later on, whether that's a day, a week, or a month later, they really struggle to recall what it means.
So what they do is they just look it up, they solve the immediate problem, but there's no long term strategy around how to actually remember that word.
And this is where a few of the techniques that I'm going to share with you today can really help. So let's give ourselves a real life example. Let's say I come across the word sufficiently, which we actually had thirty seconds back.
One mistake that people make related to looking up vocabulary in a dictionary is to immediately reach for the dictionary as soon as they find a word they don't know, and this is actually a big mistake. The dictionary should be your last resort only if you can't understand the word through context.
There's a lot of academic research that suggests that you are more likely to remember a word if you've understood the definition through context instead of just immediately looking it up in a dictionary.
So what you should do is wait until the rest of the sentence or just give it a bit more time and then you may well be able to understand the meaning of the word contextually.
Learning to use context to understand words is also a big, big skill in itself, and this probably calls for a standalone podcast on the topic.
You'll know that lots of polyglots and people who are able to speak multiple languages learn languages faster than people who can't, and one of the reasons for this is that they are very good at understanding meanings contextually.
And yes, learning to use context to understand words is this huge skill, so I think we will probably do a podcast on that later on.
However, you can't understand everything through context and if you've tried but haven't managed, here's where our dictionary comes into play.
So I could just look up the word in a dictionary, either a monolingual or bilingual one and find out the meaning.
And that's what most people do. For most people, it stops there. They do nothing more than just solve the problem of not understanding that word there and then and they don't do anything more to try and remember the word.
Just finding the meaning of a word so that you can move on and understand the rest of the article, chapter or podcast is an okay strategy if you're just rushing through it.
But if your objective is to actually continually build your vocabulary and improve your lexicon, then there are a few things that you really need to be doing with the dictionary in order to maximise your chances of remembering that word.
Assuming that you don't have a photographic memory, then you probably won't be able to recall that word that you've just taken the time to look up in a few weeks time.
So here are a few things you can do.
Firstly, you should write the word down, of course, and write down the definition, either in your own language or in English or both, if you're feeling particularly, particularly studious.
I've said elsewhere that every serious language student needs to have their own little black book, their own little dictionary, and so you need to be constantly adding new words to it.
So when you find a new word, you should reach for your little black book and add that new word to it. But it doesn't just end here. You don't just write down the word, write down the definition, there are quite a few more things that you should be doing to give yourself the best possible chance at remembering that word.
So write down the word in context - write it down first in the context of how you came across it, and then write it down in another context.
Good dictionaries will often have these other contexts and other examples that you can just jot down, but you should also think about it yourself. Create a sentence yourself and write that down.
Why
should you do this? Well, by writing the word down in context, you're making it more likely that you will recall the meaning of the word as it was in the original context when you come across it again. And by creating your own sentence, you're showing yourself that you can use the word correctly and that it is part of your active vocabulary.
The ultimate aim is to actively remember and actively use that word.
Another thing that you should be doing is learning the word and not just the meaning of the word. So if you're writing down the meaning of the word, also learn its form.
If it's a verb, then learn its tense forms. If it's a noun, learn its plural form. Also learn how it's pronounced.
A really good way to learn how a word is pronounced is to listen to it using one of the pronunciation features of the many online dictionaries that are available. For instance, Cambridge has an online dictionary which shows you the word and provides both British and American pronunciations.
By learning how to pronounce the word correctly, you will have a better chance of remembering it. And by learning the different forms of the word, you'll be able to use it correctly and avoid any errors in future.
And finally, you should really try to review and test yourself regularly. So let's imagine that you have a little black book and that you've written down the new vocabulary words that you've found. Every few days, take a few minutes to look back over the new words and review them.
This repetition and review will help to reinforce the new vocabulary in your memory and will make it easier for you to recall the words in the future.
If you're feeling really motivated, you could even make flashcards with the word on one side and the definition and any other information on the other side. There are lots of apps out there that can help with this.
So, to summarize, when using a dictionary, make sure to:
1. **Try to understand the meaning of the word through context before looking it up.**2. **Write the word down along with its definition, context, and any other relevant information.**3. **Learn the different forms of the word and how to pronounce it.**4. **Review and test yourself regularly to reinforce the new vocabulary.**
This is a strategy that I find works really well for me and hopefully you’ll find it useful as well.
Thank you very much for listening. I hope you enjoyed this episode and found it useful.
If you’d like to get in touch with me or if you have any feedback or questions, please do not hesitate to drop me an email.
Until next time, happy learning and take care!
---
Let me just start by saying a big thank you for your ongoing membership.
The podcast wouldn't be possible without your support and every one of you is the reason that I do the show.
I guess that most of you should know who I am by now, but just in case you need a reminder, I'm Alastair Budge. I'm the host of the podcast and the founder of Leonardo English.
Today we are going to talk about something that I think is pretty important when learning English, or any language for that matter, but that a lot of people don't fully appreciate.
And that thing is the dictionary.
Today it is time to talk about how to use a dictionary properly as part of your English learning toolkit.
And this isn't just going to be a list of the best dictionaries where afterwards you can go away with a shopping list of dictionaries to buy or apps to download. But I will give you a few hints on that front.
Oh no. Today we are going to talk about how to use a dictionary properly.
On one level you might think it's pretty self-explanatory. You look up the meanings of words you don't know and that you can't figure out through context and whether it's a huge, big paper one that you have sitting on your desk, a mini one that you keep in your pocket if you're out and about, if it's an app on your phone or even Google Translate.
The purpose of a dictionary is pretty simple. It tells you the meanings of words, and yes, of course at a basic level, this is correct.
But this would be like looking at one of the cars used in a James Bond film and thinking, well, it's probably quite a good car to go and get some shopping in.
Yes, of course it can do that, but if you think of it purely in these terms, then you're missing out on a huge amount that will really help you get the most out of using a dictionary and help you increase your vocabulary, be a more effective learner, and ultimately improve your English faster than you might do otherwise.
So firstly, let's look at the different types of dictionaries that you can use, as this is actually quite an important choice for you to make.
When learning English, or when learning any language really, you can choose either a monolingual dictionary or a bilingual dictionary. In case you don't know what those words mean, a monolingual dictionary means that the meaning of an English word will be explained in English, while with a bilingual dictionary, the meaning will be explained in another language, in your mother tongue.
For beginners and for anyone who is up to about an intermediate level, a bilingual dictionary is normally preferred. This is because with a monolingual dictionary, if you can't understand the words that are being explained in the definition, well, life is going to be pretty difficult.
Good monolingual dictionaries should always use simple words in the explanation of a more complicated word, but even though they do this, it'll always be harder than if there was a translation given in your mother tongue.
But for language learners of intermediate level and above, both bilingual and monolingual dictionaries can be used. And it just depends on personal preference.
All of you, I believe, should be at an intermediate level and above, and so you can choose which one you prefer.
Now there are different views on this, and once people decide that they prefer one particular type, it's normally quite hard to change their mind. People are pretty stuck in their ways and internet forums are full of people arguing one way or the other.
Monolingual dictionaries are normally preferred in academic institutions such as university.
When I was at university, for example, studying French and Italian, we were forced to use monolingual dictionaries. The reason for this is that as we are already at a decent enough level to learn new vocabulary in context, and the theory was that we should be exposed to as much of the target languages as possible, that we should be thinking, writing, reading, dreaming in that language in a real state of total immersion.
So that was why we were made to use monolingual dictionaries. But there are those that say that they really don't like monolingual dictionaries, saying that they make the process of finding the meaning of a word much harder and more time-consuming. And what this does is it distracts from the flow of reading or listening in the target language.
Steve Kaufman, the famous polyglot and founder of thelinguist.com says that he finds that monolingual dictionaries slow him down, and therefore in the long run they reduce the amount of exposure he has to what he calls meaningful content.
So his view is that monolingual dictionaries are less efficient and actually that the net effect on language learning is negative. So he doesn't like them at all, and he prefers a bilingual dictionary.
This podcast could go on for hours, days, even if I went through all of the arguments for and against bilingual or monolingual dictionaries, and at the end of the day, it just depends on what you're most comfortable with.
It also doesn't have to be an either or situation. You can use both.
And given that there are so many fantastic free dictionaries available online, you will find out what works for you.
All of the definitions in the key vocabulary for the English Learning for Curious Minds podcast, as you will know, are given in English, as we want to be an intensive English only resource.
However, of course, you can make up your own list in your own language or look up any word in a bilingual dictionary if the definition provided in English isn't sufficiently clear and naturally as your English level improves and your vocabulary increases, you'll find it easier and easier to use a monolingual dictionary if you so choose.
Okay. So the choice of what type of dictionary to use, either monolingual or bilingual is up to you.
How you actually use a dictionary though it's something that lots of people don't get right, meaning that they end up looking up the meaning of a particular word there and then, but then they don't really do anything more to try to actually cement that word in their memory.
Meaning that when they come across the word later on, whether that's a day, a week, or a month later, they really struggle to recall what it means.
So what they do is they just look it up, they solve the immediate problem, but there's no long term strategy around how to actually remember that word.
And this is where a few of the techniques that I'm going to share with you today can really help. So let's give ourselves a real life example. Let's say I come across the word sufficiently, which we actually had thirty seconds back.
One mistake that people make related to looking up vocabulary in a dictionary is to immediately reach for the dictionary as soon as they find a word they don't know, and this is actually a big mistake. The dictionary should be your last resort only if you can't understand the word through context.
There's a lot of academic research that suggests that you are more likely to remember a word if you've understood the definition through context instead of just immediately looking it up in a dictionary.
So what you should do is wait until the rest of the sentence or just give it a bit more time and then you may well be able to understand the meaning of the word contextually.
Learning to use context to understand words is also a big, big skill in itself, and this probably calls for a standalone podcast on the topic.
You'll know that lots of polyglots and people who are able to speak multiple languages learn languages faster than people who can't, and one of the reasons for this is that they are very good at understanding meanings contextually.
And yes, learning to use context to understand words is this huge skill, so I think we will probably do a podcast on that later on.
However, you can't understand everything through context and if you've tried but haven't managed, here's where our dictionary comes into play.
So I could just look up the word in a dictionary, either a monolingual or bilingual one and find out the meaning.
And that's what most people do. For most people, it stops there. They do nothing more than just solve the problem of not understanding that word there and then and they don't do anything more to try and remember the word.
Just finding the meaning of a word so that you can move on and understand the rest of the article, chapter or podcast is an okay strategy if you're just rushing through it.
But if your objective is to actually continually build your vocabulary and improve your lexicon, then there are a few things that you really need to be doing with the dictionary in order to maximise your chances of remembering that word.
Assuming that you don't have a photographic memory, then you probably won't be able to recall that word that you've just taken the time to look up in a few weeks time.
So here are a few things you can do.
Firstly, you should write the word down, of course, and write down the definition, either in your own language or in English or both, if you're feeling particularly, particularly studious.
I've said elsewhere that every serious language student needs to have their own little black book, their own little dictionary, and so you need to be constantly adding new words to it.
So when you find a new word, you should reach for your little black book and add that new word to it. But it doesn't just end here. You don't just write down the word, write down the definition, there are quite a few more things that you should be doing to give yourself the best possible chance at remembering that word.
So write down the word in context - write it down first in the context of how you came across it, and then write it down in another context.
Good dictionaries will often have these other contexts and other examples that you can just jot down, but you should also think about it yourself. Create a sentence yourself and write that down.
Why
should you do this? Well, by writing the word down in context, you're making it more likely that you will recall the meaning of the word as it was in the original context when you come across it again. And by creating your own sentence, you're showing yourself that you can use the word correctly and that it is part of your active vocabulary.
The ultimate aim is to actively remember and actively use that word.
Another thing that you should be doing is learning the word and not just the meaning of the word. So if you're writing down the meaning of the word, also learn its form.
If it's a verb, then learn its tense forms. If it's a noun, learn its plural form. Also learn how it's pronounced.
A really good way to learn how a word is pronounced is to listen to it using one of the pronunciation features of the many online dictionaries that are available. For instance, Cambridge has an online dictionary which shows you the word and provides both British and American pronunciations.
By learning how to pronounce the word correctly, you will have a better chance of remembering it. And by learning the different forms of the word, you'll be able to use it correctly and avoid any errors in future.
And finally, you should really try to review and test yourself regularly. So let's imagine that you have a little black book and that you've written down the new vocabulary words that you've found. Every few days, take a few minutes to look back over the new words and review them.
This repetition and review will help to reinforce the new vocabulary in your memory and will make it easier for you to recall the words in the future.
If you're feeling really motivated, you could even make flashcards with the word on one side and the definition and any other information on the other side. There are lots of apps out there that can help with this.
So, to summarize, when using a dictionary, make sure to:
1. **Try to understand the meaning of the word through context before looking it up.**2. **Write the word down along with its definition, context, and any other relevant information.**3. **Learn the different forms of the word and how to pronounce it.**4. **Review and test yourself regularly to reinforce the new vocabulary.**
This is a strategy that I find works really well for me and hopefully you’ll find it useful as well.
Thank you very much for listening. I hope you enjoyed this episode and found it useful.
If you’d like to get in touch with me or if you have any feedback or questions, please do not hesitate to drop me an email.
Until next time, happy learning and take care!
---
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