How to make a dictionary in Russian. How to organize an English workbook? About the educational literature that modern schoolchildren consume, if somehow narrowed down
New school encyclopedic Dictionary of the Russian language, created by the staff of St Petersburg University, differs from others primarily in its design. Gradients, a selection of photographs and articles, as if drawn with a marker by a diligent schoolboy, are the work of designer Zhdan Filippov. But the design is closely related to the concept of the dictionary, which the creators propose to read "like a book." Daniil Trabun talked with Sergey Monakhov and Dmitry Cherdakov about why it is necessary to publish a dictionary on paper in the era of hypertext and how to do it educational literature boring.
Sergei Monakhov
Associate Professor, Department of the History of Russian Literature, Faculty of Philology, St. Petersburg State University
Dmitry Cherdakov
Senior Lecturer, Department of the Russian Language, Faculty of Philology, St. Petersburg State University
How did it happen that, on the one hand, this is the official dictionary of the Russian language, approved by all authorities, and on the other hand, it is, shall we say, impudent? Fresh and free in a way.
Dmitry: The idea to create such a dictionary was born in St. state university back in 2009. Main question here - why do at all new dictionary if there are already others, right? That's right, there are encyclopedic reference books, including those intended for schoolchildren, focused on school course Russian language. But this reference function by itself was not enough for us. We wanted, in addition to doing this important role, the dictionary has become a kind of textbook and even a book to read. It was not only a source of information, but also contributed to the understanding by readers of the information that is reported in it. This idea of combining functions was embodied by various means - both at the level of the text and in the actual design solution.
Can you tell me more about the book to read? Still, the dictionary is accessed only when it is really needed.
Sergey: Yes, it's such a common idea. The dictionary is on the shelf, they approach the shelf, open the book, look at the right word, put it back. We wanted to do it differently. Figuratively speaking, not a dictionary on a shelf among other books, but an open dictionary on the table, a book for every family. Our dictionary consists of two parts. The first is the actual corpus of encyclopedic articles. The second corpus - pointers that help the reader navigate this information space. In addition to the traditional alphabetical and terminological indexes, the dictionary has a tree-like thematic index, in which articles are arranged hierarchically with different levels of nesting according to the degree of generalization of the terminological material. Understand correctly, no one assumes that a person will open a dictionary and start figuring from the letter A to the end until he finishes reading. But he can, turning to our terminological tree, form an idea of the linguistic context that exists around the phenomenon of interest to him, read a whole cluster of articles related to each other.
There is one more thing that makes the dictionary a “book to read”. In addition to the main text, in our articles we give inserted essays of two types - some more or less extensive quotations from fiction or scientific literature, illustrating the concept that the article reveals, and on the other hand, additional, popular science, small texts that allow - again, right? - to present the phenomenon of interest to the reader in a broader context.
About the design
ZHDAN FILIPPOV, dictionary designer:“I wanted several pieces to be friends according to the image [in the dictionary]. For it to be word art- real, terrible, but refined. So that only a thin shadow of presence remains from him. A plus Lazar Lissitzky and a gradient from an 80s jacket. In general, it's like a presentation in Word or excel, but it is slightly more accurate, in general. It looks fun - like a dictionary, but also fun. Funny dictionary. At some moments it looks crooked, askew, but everything is completely conscious and exactly as it should be in this case. Cheerfully, boldly, but formally, we fulfilled all the rules. It seems to me, so it is necessary"
Zhdan Filippov talks about how the design of the dictionary was created
The design immediately catches the eye. How did the team that was engaged in the selection of articles and the structure of the dictionary work with the designers? As I understand it, this should be a fairly dense joint work?
Sergey: Design work began when the text was ready. Initially, even at the stage of creating articles, illustrations were selected, but Zhdan Filippov rejected most of these pictures, said that they were worthless - neither in their quality, nor in their, so to speak, conceptual embedding, that it was just some kind of vinaigrette , hodgepodge and so on. Zhdan suggested an unusual solution - to make the illustrative row black and white, and the text itself in color. Colorize the text, highlighting different information flows in it: quotations, references, lists, concepts, insert essays, names of writers and titles of works. It is clear that in a pile of books, dictionaries, encyclopedias there are such “cellars” with color filling, but this is completely different. There color is marginal and marks marginal, peripheral things. And this is our main aesthetic technique. When Zhdan proposed this idea, I remember this moment - like an insight, a divine insight.
In parallel with the work on the dictionary, we also worked on the layout of the Russian language textbook for grades 10-11. As far as schoolchildren are concerned, this is the addressee of the same age level. The layout of the textbook was made by Dima Barbanel, with whom, like Zhdan, we met when we were working on the Hermitage magazine, and since then we have been collaborating from time to time. What I mean - to the fact that these two layouts, a textbook and a dictionary, can, if desired, see two opposites in them. In the sense that Dima just got into a textbook great amount completely different styles, including simply terrible illustrations; he took them out to such reservations, to separate spreads, separated them from the text and gave them the opportunity to blow up the reader's eye and brain. And Zhdan threw everything out harshly. There would be no happiness, but misfortune helped - it became clear that we did not have pictures, and an idea came up that I still like - the creation of such a special text expressiveness.
Dictionary spreads
About questions in the dictionary
Dmitry: Why are there six cases in Russian? Let's take, for example, "talked about the forest, walked in the forest", and here and there is a prepositional case. Why suddenly a prepositional case - although different endings, different questions, different prepositions, and in general there is nothing in common? Worth thinking about. And this kind problematic issues- questions that, speaking in a high language, awaken the thought, encourage a person to become interested in something, and not be content with the most mean information - there are a lot in the dictionary "
If you walk into a bookstore today, it doesn't seem like there are very many original textbooks coming out.
Dmitry: Are you talking about textbooks now?
About the educational literature that modern schoolchildren consume, to narrow it down somehow.
Dmitry: I can only speak Russian. Russian language textbooks are both structured and designed in a traditional way. Of course, this is boring, and we, of course, wanted to move away from this boredom a little, but proportions and measures are very important here. It must be remembered that teaching is not entertainment, no matter how much one would like it, and traditionalism, maybe even some kind of inertia, has its advantages. We have all learned from these "boring" textbooks; the richest experience, the richest arsenal of techniques for teaching the Russian language has been accumulated in the Russian educational and methodological tradition. Perhaps, in some sense, this experience needs some new presentation - yes, and here we tried to do it.
Sergey: In other disciplines, quite colorful, bright textbooks are now being published, but there is, so to speak, a subject basis for some attractive visual solutions, with the Russian language - for obvious reasons - much more difficult.
Dmitry: This is not a movie or a cartoon, and no matter how strong the influence of the visual component in modern culture is, we should not forget that in the beginning there was the Word and the basis of everything is the text. Trouble modern culture just the same that everything fell apart, you know? Everything was shattered into pieces, and in my opinion, it is not necessary to insist on this disintegration of the whole, to emphasize it even more, so to speak, to present it as something so entertaining. It's important to slow down a bit here.
A Russian language textbook for grades 10–11, developed by Masterskaya: Dima Barbanel, Sergei Fedorov, Ilya Korobov, 42 artists, 11 photographers. For the textbook, 2 fonts based on Romanovsky were developed, and also remade by Humanist
Why do we need a book at all in the age of hypertext? Especially if it's a dictionary that seems to be easier to consume as an app on a phone or website.
Dmitry: Because for a lot of people, a book is a book. Even those who are already fully embedded, so to speak, in the space of Internet culture, still treat the book as something more valuable, significant, if you like. And this opinion cannot be ignored. For so many people who are influential in our world to one degree or another, it is the book on the table that is the result. There is another aspect here - I just spoke about this fragmentation, disintegration, alternation. A book is some kind of independent object, purely financially independent, you understand, which you can pick up, put in a closet, go to the kitchen, and so on. Again, it is a little opposed to this general fragmentation that I spoke about, and in this sense the cultural function of the book is important.
Sergey: We are very pleased with this book, but we do not get hung up on it, we are already actively developing a dictionary website and a mobile application for iOS, which should be released in early November. Everything will look similar to the book, but at the same time, it will look different. You see, the book is the nucleus. Already now many other things are being built around it, growing. We have done dedicated YouTube channel, a kind of video supplement to the dictionary, specially recorded, in my opinion, a total of 45 videos - short interviews with wonderful modern linguists.
Dmitry: Basically, these are people who are not part of the team of authors, but they talk about the scientific problems raised in the dictionary. In fact, it is extremely interesting to listen to - if the dictionary was written mainly by St. Petersburg scientists, then there, in this video collection, for the most part, Moscow specialists, and this creates a certain volume, including geographical.
How to maintain a vocabulary for learning foreign language?
(Remember that you can, and we strongly encourage, read and implement the ideas, hacks and tips that we publish
Goals of this article:
- motivate readers to learn English through vocabulary recording;
— substantiate the pros and cons of various ways of maintaining English dictionaries;
- open your eyes to the best method of conducting English vocabulary;
Most vocabulary books
Let's pay a little attention to what you can buy in bookstores. Most notebooks or notepads for writing English words contain only 2 columns - FIRST - for the original language, SECOND - for the language being studied (in our case, English). If you not only read texts in English, watch movies and TV shows, do exercises, but also record new words in a separate notebook, then, as they say, “Good for you” (well done). But with this method, your English dictionary turns into a warehouse of "unnecessary things", a kind of balcony on which, at first glance, the necessary things are removed until better times. Want to take it to the next level? Then read on.
How to conduct an English dictionary at school
Reread the previous paragraph and mentally insert 1 more column between the two indicated, name it “Transcription” and you will get a typical dictionary that teachers in schools demanded from us for verification. The boredom is incredible. I don’t know about you, but I have always tried to delay the “X hour” to the limit. By the way, transcription is the recording of the sounds of one language using the specialized symbols of the International Phonetic Alphabet. But I think you already know. As a rule, what is offered to us in stores and at school is a good way, but not ideal. The time of "collision" with a new language unit (a new English word) is negligible. Here you write down your precious English words in such a dictionary, imagine that soon you will have to write a dictation on them or answer them orally in front of your friends and you will be seized by universal laziness. All because this process needs to be turned into creativity. Make it enjoyable. How? Let's tell.
English Dictionary from English Seasons
AT language school ENGLISH SEASONS approach the issue of replenishing lexical knowledge seriously, responsibly and thoroughly. I note right away that from year to year those who follow the advice of teachers and, in particular, maintain an English dictionary in the way recommended below, are always head and shoulders ahead of their “fellow soldiers” and bring what they started to the end.
Our English dictionary contains as many as 4 (FOUR) columns and I would like to dwell on each of them in more detail. I’ll say in advance that the first 2 columns should be small (3-3.5 cm), the third column is desirable to have 5-6 cm, the fourth 7-8 cm. But it’s better to have an A4 notebook in hardcover and don't deny yourself anything.
Column 1 of the English Dictionary
Word . A lexical unit (word, phrase) of the language being studied, in our case, English, which must be remembered and subsequently used in spoken English (written or oral is not so important).
Column 2 of the English dictionary
Transcription. The definition of transcription has been given above. The column isn't the most important, but it's not completely useless either. Especially in the early stages of learning English. At the very beginning of your language path, you can write down how words are read in Russian letters. Over time, even when English transcription becomes superfluous (after several years of study), this column can be removed. You will then have more space. More space for what? Read on.
Column 3 of the English dictionary
Values Yes, yes, it is I, at the end and with capital letter. It is several meanings (if any) of one word with a high probability that will help you remember it better. A simple example: the word NAME. Everyone knows that it translates as NAME. But let's look at the phrase WHAT IS YOUR NAME? - What is your name? And now there is no trace left of the NAME. And if you open a larger dictionary (read about paper dictionaries in our article), then one of the values \u200b\u200bthat you find will be NAME. And it is the NAME part that sounds a bit like NAME that will become a reliable anchor for memorizing a new word. And there are so many such "coincidences" in our languages. One has only to dig a little longer in the English dictionary and show interest. It's exciting, believe me.
You have almost reached the most interesting part. Hold.
Column 4 of the English dictionary
Example. The last largest column of the English dictionary, number 4. It starts creativity and creativity when writing your unique English dictionary. By example, we mean a certain phrase, a statement that "beats" the meaning of the word being studied. We don't talk to each other single words? Do you agree? Even people with minimal education try to wrap their thoughts in sentences. So we recommend that you memorize sentences right away. Where to take them from? From the head. Can't think of anything? Find an example of the use of a language unit on the Internet, with this in modern world no problem. Replace 1-2 words there with your own, and here you have an original statement that belongs only to you and no one else will have it.
For some, the above method will seem long. But learning English is not a picnic. This is not a walk down Oxford Street. It is rather a daring journey through the jungle, which becomes more and more exciting and interesting over time. The main thing is to be nearby, who will protect you from "dangers" and tell you about the rules of conduct in " wild nature". With the considered method of maintaining an English dictionary, you get four or even five times access to a dictionary unit, a bunch of side-viewed words, and positive emotions from creative process which is great for relieving stress.
Thank you for your attention!
Text
The new school encyclopedic dictionary of the Russian language, created by the staff of St Petersburg University, differs from others primarily in its design. Gradients, a selection of photographs and articles, as if drawn with a marker by a diligent schoolboy, are the work of designer Zhdan Filippov. But the design is closely related to the concept of the dictionary, which the creators propose to read "like a book." Daniil Trabun talked with Sergey Monakhov and Dmitry Cherdakov about why it is necessary to publish a dictionary on paper in the era of hypertext and how to make educational literature not boring.
Associate Professor, Department of the History of Russian Literature, Faculty of Philology, St. Petersburg State University
Senior Lecturer, Department of the Russian Language, Faculty of Philology, St. Petersburg State University
How did it happen that, on the one hand, this is the official dictionary of the Russian language, approved by all authorities, and on the other hand, it is, shall we say, impudent? Fresh and free in a way.
Dmitry: The idea to create such a dictionary was born at St. Petersburg State University back in 2009. The main question here is - why make a new dictionary at all, if there are already others, right? That's right, there are encyclopedic reference books, including those intended for schoolchildren, focused on the school course of the Russian language. But this reference function by itself was not enough for us. In addition to fulfilling this important role, we wanted the dictionary to become a kind of textbook and even a book for reading. It was not only a source of information, but also contributed to the understanding by readers of the information that is reported in it. This idea of combining functions was embodied by various means - both at the level of the text and in the actual design solution.
Can you tell me more about the book to read? Still, the dictionary is accessed only when it is really needed.
Sergey: Yes, it's such a common idea. The dictionary is on the shelf, they approach the shelf, open the book, look at the right word, put it back. We wanted to do it differently. Figuratively speaking, not a dictionary on a shelf among other books, but an open dictionary on the table, a book for every family. Our dictionary consists of two parts. The first is the actual corpus of encyclopedic articles. The second corpus - pointers that help the reader to navigate in this information space. In addition to the traditional alphabetical and terminological indexes, the dictionary has a tree-like thematic index, in which articles are arranged hierarchically with different levels of nesting according to the degree of generalization of the terminological material. Understand correctly, no one assumes that a person will open a dictionary and start figuring from the letter A to the end until he finishes reading. But he can, turning to our terminological tree, form an idea of the linguistic context that exists around the phenomenon of interest to him, read a whole cluster of articles related to each other.
There is one more thing that makes the dictionary a “book to read”. In addition to the main text, in the articles we provide inserted essays of two types - some more or less extensive quotations from fiction or scientific literature, illustrating the concept that the article reveals, and on the other hand, additional, popular science, small texts that allow - again, right? - to present the phenomenon of interest to the reader in a broader context.
About the design
ZHDAN FILIPPOV, dictionary designer:“I wanted several pieces to be friends according to the image [in the dictionary]. For it to be word art- real, terrible, but refined. So that only a thin shadow of presence remains from him. A plus Lazar Lissitzky and a gradient from an 80s jacket. In general, it's like a presentation in Word or excel, but it is slightly more accurate, in general. It looks fun - like a dictionary, but also fun. Funny dictionary. At some moments it looks crooked, askew, but everything is completely conscious and exactly as it should be in this case. Cheerfully, boldly, but formally, we fulfilled all the rules. It seems to me, so it is necessary"
Zhdan Filippov talks about how the design of the dictionary was created
The design immediately catches the eye. How did the team that was engaged in the selection of articles and the structure of the dictionary work with the designers? As I understand it, this should be a fairly dense joint work?
Sergey: Design work began when the text was ready. Initially, even at the stage of creating articles, illustrations were selected, but Zhdan Filippov rejected most of these pictures, said that they were worthless - neither in their quality, nor in their, so to speak, conceptual embedding, that it was just some kind of vinaigrette , hodgepodge and so on. Zhdan suggested an unusual solution - to make the illustrative row black and white, and the text itself in color. Colorize the text, highlighting different information flows in it: quotations, references, lists, concepts, insert essays, names of writers and titles of works. It is clear that in a pile of books, dictionaries, encyclopedias there are such “cellars” with color filling, but this is completely different. There color is marginal and marks marginal, peripheral things. And this is our main aesthetic technique. When Zhdan proposed this idea, I remember this moment - like an insight, a divine insight.
In parallel with the work on the dictionary, we also worked on the layout of the Russian language textbook for grades 10-11. As far as schoolchildren are concerned, this is the addressee of the same age level. The layout of the textbook was made by Dima Barbanel, with whom, like Zhdan, we met when we were working on the Hermitage magazine, and since then we have been collaborating from time to time. What I mean - to the fact that these two layouts, a textbook and a dictionary, can, if desired, see two opposites in them. In the sense that Dima just put a huge number of completely different styles, including simply terrible, illustrations into the textbook; he took them out to such reservations, to separate spreads, separated them from the text and gave them the opportunity to blow up the reader's eye and brain. And Zhdan threw everything out harshly. There would be no happiness, but misfortune helped - it became clear that we did not have pictures, and an idea came up that I still like - the creation of such a special text expressiveness.
You don't know how to keep a dictionary!
How to maintain a dictionary for learning a foreign language?
(Remember that you can, and we highly recommend, read and implement the ideas, hacks and tips that we publish on our website in the "Articles" section).
Goals of this article:
To motivate readers to learn English through vocabulary recording;
Justify the pros and cons of various ways of maintaining English dictionaries;
Open your eyes to the best method of maintaining an English dictionary;
Most vocabulary books
Let's pay a little attention to what you can buy in bookstores. Most notebooks or notepads for writing foreign words contain only 2 columns - FIRST - for the original language, SECOND - for the language being studied (in our case, English). If you not only read texts in English, watch movies and TV shows, do exercises, but also record new words in a separate notebook, then, as they say, “Good for you” (well done). But with this method, your English dictionary turns into a warehouse of "unnecessary things", a kind of balcony on which, at first glance, the necessary things are removed until better times. Want to take it to the next level? Then read on.
How to conduct an English dictionary at school
Reread the previous paragraph and mentally insert 1 more column between the two indicated, name it “Transcription” and you will get a typical dictionary that teachers in schools demanded from us for verification. The boredom is incredible. I don’t know about you, but I have always tried to delay the “X hour” to the limit. By the way, transcription is the recording of the sounds of one language using the specialized symbols of the International Phonetic Alphabet. But I think you already know. As a rule, what is offered to us in stores and at school is a good way, but not ideal. The time of "collision" with a new language unit is negligible. So you write down your precious English words in such a dictionary, imagine that soon you will have to write a dictation on them or answer them orally in front of your friends and you are seized by universal laziness. All because this process needs to be turned into creativity. Make it enjoyable. How? Let's tell.
English Dictionary from English Seasons
At the ENGLISH SEASONS language school, the issue of replenishing lexical knowledge is taken seriously, responsibly and thoroughly. I note right away that from year to year those who follow the advice of teachers and, in particular, maintain a dictionary in the way recommended below, are always head and shoulders ahead of their “fellow soldiers” and bring what they started to the end.
Our English dictionary contains as many as 4 (FOUR) columns and I would like to dwell on each of them in more detail. I’ll say in advance that the first 2 columns should be small (3-3.5 cm), the third column should preferably be 5-6 cm, the fourth 7-8 cm. But it’s better to have an A4 hardcover notebook and nothing to yourself do not refuse.
Column 1 of the English Dictionary
Word. The lexical unit of the language being studied, in our case, English. It can be a word or phrase that you need to remember and subsequently use in spoken English (written or spoken - it doesn’t matter).
Column 2 of the English dictionary
Transcription. The definition of transcription has been given above. The column isn't the most important, but it's not completely useless either. Especially in the early stages of learning. At the very beginning of your language path, you can write down how words are read in Russian letters. Over time, when even English transcription becomes redundant (after several years of study), this column can be removed. You will then have more space. More space for what? Read on.
Column 3 of the English dictionary
Values Yes, yes, it is I, at the end and with a capital letter. It is several meanings (if any) of one word with a high probability that will help you remember it better. A simple example: the word NAME. Everyone knows that it translates as NAME. But let's look at the phrase WHAT IS YOUR NAME? - What is your name? And now there is no trace left of the NAME. And if you open a larger dictionary (read about paper dictionaries in our article), then one of the values \u200b\u200bthat you find will be NAME. And it is the NAME part that sounds a bit like NAME that will become a reliable anchor for memorizing a new word. And there are so many such "coincidences" in our languages. One has only to dig a little longer in the dictionary and show interest. It's exciting, believe me.
You have almost reached the most interesting part. Hold.
Column 4 of the English dictionary
Example. The last largest column, number 4. This is where the creativity and creativity begins when writing your unique English vocabulary. By example, we mean a certain phrase, a statement that "beats" the meaning of the word being studied. We do not communicate with each other in separate words, do we? Do you agree? Even people with minimal education try to wrap their thoughts in sentences. So we recommend that you memorize sentences right away. Where to take them from? From the head. Can't think of anything? Find an example of the use of a language unit on the Internet, there are no problems with this in the modern world. Replace 1-2 words there with your own, and here you have an original statement that belongs only to you and no one else will have it.
For some, the above method will seem long. But learning English is not a picnic. This is not a walk down Oxford Street. It is rather a daring journey through the jungle, which becomes more and more exciting and interesting over time. The main thing is to have a reliable guide nearby who will protect you from “dangers” and tell you about the rules of behavior in the “wild nature”. With the considered method of maintaining an English dictionary, you get four or even five times a vocabulary item, a bunch of side-viewed words, and positive emotions from the creative process, which helps to get rid of stress.
englishseason.ru
English notebook
A new notebook for classes English language, in which you so want to make the first entry as soon as possible, I suggest starting by prescribing your goals. How much time do you plan to devote to training, what exactly to do, what results you want to achieve certain period. And in general, it is worth noting why you need to learn English at all, what is the ultimate goal. Write it down on the first page so as not to lose motivation.
To properly build English language learning(especially if you plan to practice on your own), answer the questions from the list below. These answers should also be written in a notebook and check yourself from time to time - are you doing everything:
How often will you practice? Where and when?
How many words do you need to remember in a week?
How will you test yourself?
How will you measure your achievements?
Also quite appropriate at the beginning of the notebook would be a calendar and schedule planner, we talked about them a little earlier.
Next, let's discuss how to write words. I have already mentioned that the best dictionary is the one that does not have a translation into Russian. How then to be, what to do to memorize words? Maybe the following option will suit you (I will describe on simple example- let it look a little primitive, but my task is to show the idea). You can do it like this:
- When writing nouns, add the plural form, for the verb - check whether it is correct or not.
- Below, write out any words that will help you remember the translation of the desired one. You can write them in columns for better organization.
- You can use pictures, any diagrams and sketches - everything that is associated with the word being studied.
- Write sentences with this word, thereby remembering its use in speech.
- If possible, write down synonyms and antonyms.
- Using phonetic symbols, write down the pronunciation. And, of course, say the word several times.
Below are a couple of pages of what it might look like. I hope you enjoy this approach. Perhaps something will not suit you - no problem, exclude any unnecessary items from the dictionary. Think that full version such a recording is especially good for children (after all, now they begin to learn English almost from kindergarten), and these notes, drawings, design will be useful for the development of fine motor skills. Well, if there is a mother-needlewoman available, then it is quite possible to do scrapbooking with your child and make a beautiful dictionary album, having spent many evenings together doing this activity.
To have it made, or How to make an English dictionary
The need to learn English sets a new pace of life for those who have decided to make drastic changes. Schoolchildren study a foreign language, as it is prescribed in the school curriculum.
Students learn the basics of the language in order to consolidate their previously acquired knowledge. office workers and large enterprises tend to “speak” English as soon as possible in order to move up the career ladder. Directors of large companies organize corporate English courses for their employees so that each of them can communicate directly with foreign partners. The world of English expands the boundaries, opens up new horizons and allows each of us to find a new self.
When learning a language, many are faced with the problem of choosing the dictionary that is most suitable for work. At school, teachers put forward strict requirements: each student had to have his own dictionary, the words in which would be distributed according to the topics of the classes. This approach is good if the student is really engaged. Otherwise, compiling such a dictionary takes a lot of time and does not give visible results.
Now few people think about how to make an English dictionary on their own, because there are a lot of publications that are recognized as the best assistants in learning a foreign language.
If you are just starting to learn English, the Longman or Oxford paper bilingual dictionary will become an indispensable assistant in your business. Electronic versions You can also find these dictionaries on the World Wide Web.
For those who have already reached a certain level of knowledge, we recommend using monolingual dictionaries, which help to plunge into the language environment and, moreover, teach you to think in English, not to translate. Such dictionaries are called English-English, since they do not have translation into another language - all definitions are written in the target language. Thus, you not only increase the number of lexical units, but also acquire the necessary structures for constructing sentences.
Thanks to cutting-edge technology, having a dictionary with you is no longer a problem. Any device that is in your bag or your pocket will be able to translate words, phrases, sentences. It is only necessary to think about the quality of the translation, if we are talking about complete structures. In this case, I strongly recommend translating only those words whose meaning you have never met. The ABBYY Lingvo dictionary copes with this task perfectly, which not only translates words, but also points out the tense forms of verbs, helps to find idioms with a given word, and also offers translation of words in various fields of knowledge (finance, marketing, construction, etc.). ).
If you cannot imagine life without the use of slang expressions, then you cannot do without an online assistant.
But for those who are fond of phrasal verbs, idioms, grammar, tests, I can recommend a wonderful resource.
If you are determined to master the most modern English, welcome here, where you will find answers to the most difficult questions. By the way, this service publishes a few words of the day every day. So, for example, today you can find out what is spondulicks, momism, magniloquent, phillumenist, skookum. Agree, you do not often meet these words in everyday life.
Learn English and let your dictionary be updated daily with new lexical units!
How to keep a dictionary in English: 2 best ways
According to Mayakovsky, the word is the commander of human strength. Today we want to help you become a little stronger - properly organize your work with vocabulary. We will tell you how to maintain a personal dictionary in order to learn vocabulary quickly and efficiently.
Do I need to keep my own dictionary?? Today, there are different opinions on this matter: someone considers it important, someone says that this is just useless paperwork. What is the truth? We believe that the maintenance of a dictionary is necessary for everyone who wants to have a rich vocabulary. Your personal reference book will become for you at the same time a textbook by which you will learn new phrases, expressions and words. In addition, by writing vocabulary in a dictionary, you activate mechanical memory, which facilitates the assimilation of new knowledge.
Words - so innocent and powerless as they are, as standing in a dictionary, how potent for good and evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to combine them.
Words are so innocent and weak when they are in the dictionary, what a powerful tool for doing good or evil they become in the hands of one who knows how to control them.
Why proper vocabulary management is really important? We believe that the quality of your learning and the effectiveness of memorizing new words depend on this.
Of course, you remember how at school we divided a sheet of notebook into 3 columns and wrote according to the magic formula “word-transcription-translation”. How many words from this notebook can you remember today? We think that most of them are safely forgotten, and only the obsessive “London is the capital of Great Britain” is firmly planted in my head. Why is it so: you have been studying the language at school, university for more than 10 years, and on occasion you cannot connect two words? Maybe because we do not know how exactly these words can be “linked”. After all, the same “word-transcription-translation” dictionary pulled words out of context and tried to fix them in memory with the help of mechanical cramming.
As you can see, the good old way of maintaining a personal dictionary is rather old than good: it has not justified itself. That is why we decided to offer you more effective techniques maintaining your personal directory. Study each of them and try in practice: this way you will understand which one is most suitable for you.
How to maintain a thematic dictionary
The thematic dictionary is a notebook or notebook for recording your future vocabulary - lexical notebook. Such a notebook should be immediately divided into topics, for example: work, food, feelings, body parts, etc.
For each word, it is desirable to allocate 1 page or at least half - depending on the format of the notebook and the size of your handwriting.
What to write in a dictionary
- The word itself and its translation into Russian. If a word has several meanings, it is advisable to write 3-4 different definitions.
- Transcription - optional, if you feel comfortable reading it.
- The definition of a word in English is appropriate if your level of knowledge is average and above. This way you will learn a few more useful words from the definition at the same time.
- Words that combine with the word (collocations). Look at the picture with an example, there you see the phrases bad weather, hot weather, weather forecast, etc. You will remember these expressions better than two words torn apart from each other. In addition, you will not make a mistake in the combination of words and will never say obnoxious weather.
- Several examples of the use of this word in a sentence, and it is desirable to write at least one example for each recorded definition of the word.
- Synonyms and antonyms for the word.
- Idioms with the use of this word, if your level is not lower than Intermediate and you are going to replenish your vocabulary with useful vivid expressions. But you need to stick to the measure, you should not write out all the idioms that are associated with your word. One or two is enough.
- Picture is optional. For some people, this technique helps: when studying a word, they draw a picture for it. So the vocabulary begins to be associated with a certain visual image and is easier to remember.
How to make mind maps
Mind maps also work great as a dictionary. You can make a mind-map in two ways:
Combine words on the topic. This technique will help you organize information and significantly expand your vocabulary by specific topic. Then your map might look like this.
Mapping synonyms is one of the most convenient ways to remember several words that are similar in meaning and diversify your speech. An example of such a map might look like this:
In both cases, do not forget about the context: under the map, write a few sentences using the indicated concepts. You can find material for compiling mind maps in English vocabulary textbooks from our review.
The two methods of maintaining a dictionary described by us are by far the most common and effective. You can use them together. So, maintaining the first type of dictionary will allow you to deepen your knowledge on any topic, and the second technique will help diversify your speech.
Previously, it was difficult to imagine learning a foreign language without a special dictionary, which the student filled out on his own. Today, the opinions of students about maintaining a personal dictionary differ. Some people think that keeping a dictionary is absolutely useless; others, on the contrary, are a necessity. Let's see what are the advantages of maintaining a dictionary, and how to maintain it correctly.
Benefits of maintaining a dictionary:
- The dictionary helps to systematize the work on vocabulary replenishment.
- By writing down words that you learn today, for example, it will be easier for you to find them after a while.
- It happens that the learned word at the right moment flies out of our heads. And when we try to find the word we need on the Internet, the online translator gives us a synonym instead of the word we need. The same can happen with the search for the necessary phraseological units, phrasal verbs and set phrases on the Internet. If we have all the learned terms and phrases written down, it is easier for us to navigate in them, especially if they are divided into topics (but we will move on to how best to keep a dictionary a little later).
- When we write down new terms, we memorize them faster, because mechanical and visual memory are included in the work.
In fact, a dictionary is a handy tool that helps us quickly learn new vocabulary and move it from a liability to an asset.
How to keep an English dictionary to memorize words
At school, we divided the notebook into three columns (or bought a ready-made dictionary notebook): in the first we wrote down the word in English, in the second - transcription, in the third - translation. However, this method did not really help the assimilation of new vocabulary.
How many of these words can we remember today?
This dictionary was regularly updated with dozens of new words that we had to learn for the dictation in the next lesson. However, after that same ill-fated dictation, new terms disappeared from memory somewhere without a trace. The fact is that this method was focused exclusively on cramming. We learned the words, but we didn't learn how to use them correctly. So it turns out that after 10-11 years of studying English at school, we can understand a little English, but we ourselves cannot even connect two words.
In fact, from the fact that we kept such a dictionary, there was not much sense, if any. Therefore, we propose to consider more effective methods maintaining a personal English dictionary.
The first option is a thematic dictionary:
- It is much easier for many people to memorize new vocabulary if it is divided into thematic groups. Therefore, we advise when studying words to divide them by topic. Give each topic a few pages. For example, three dictionary pages for the topic “weather”, three for the topic “airport”, three more for set phrases with the word “get”, etc.
- If it is convenient for you to read the transcription, write it next to the words (or above the words) whose pronunciation is difficult for you to remember.
- Write down the meaning of the word/phrase. If your level of language proficiency allows you, write an interpretation in English. At the same time, we still recommend that you peep the translation of the word (if necessary, write down next to the English interpretation). This is to make sure you understand the word correctly. It happens that the interpretation does not accurately convey the meaning of the word, therefore, for reinsurance, it is still better to look at its analogue in the native language.
- If a word has many meanings, write down a few of the most commonly used ones. This will avoid confusion if you later meet this word in a different context.
- Find and write down examples of the use of the word (phrase) in order to understand how it can be used. At the same time, it is desirable to write out 2-3 examples in order to be able to see what shades the word acquires in the context. If you wrote down several meanings of the word, write down an example of usage for each of them.
- If you have already reached Pre-intermediate level- Write down also idioms with the word you are learning.
- Also write down a few synonyms and antonyms for each word. This helps to build an associative array. For example, you are learning the word tight-fisted and have written greedy as a synonym for it. When you need to remember the learned word, an associative link may automatically appear in your memory: “The term I needed was a synonym for the word greedy .... Oh right, tight-fisted!”. You can also create figurative associations and write them down as verbal prompts. For example, let's take the same word - tight-fisted. It can be associated with Scrooge, both McDuck and the protagonist of A Christmas Carol. Therefore, next to the word, you can write the name Scrooge. If desired, you can draw a picture, this technique helps many.
Make up so-called mind maps.
This method is suitable for people who have the best developed visual memory. To do this, write down the word-theme in the center of the page. For example weather. And draw arrows from it, at the end of which write down what the weather could be: sunny, rainy, and so on. Using this method, you can learn not only new words, but also grammatical constructions. At the same time, on reverse side Write down a few sentences on the sheet with the words you are learning. Alternatively, for examples of use, you can start a separate notebook.
word blocks
Another way to keep a dictionary is to write vocabulary in blocks, the words in which are not thematically related. This method is suitable if you often learn new vocabulary from films, books and articles. So, it will not be very convenient when watching a movie to look for a page with the topic you need. It will be much easier to write out just words and phrases on one page.
- Allocate multiple pages per block of words. The block must include the number
- When writing out a word, write down its meaning and transcription, if necessary.
- Under each word (phrase), write down the sentence in which you met it. Then check how this word can still be used, and write down 1-2 other examples of its use. To do this, you can use Google search or dictionaries like http://context.reverso.net/.
- Also, if these are expressions from the movie, you can write down the situation-explanation. For example, the hero said the phrase that you learn when he was angry when he saw that his money was gone - write it down. This will be your beacon. Remembering the situation, it will be easier for you to remember the phrase itself.
- Next to each block of words, write down the dates of their repetitions.
- On the next sheet allocated for this block, write down phrases and words in English. And during the repetition, write down the translation or interpretation to them. On another sheet, come up with your own examples of use. Then write down the meaning of the words or phrases that you learn, but in Russian, and the next time you repeat, try to remember them yourself in English.
With block dictionary maintenance, you can (and even need to) use those methods that are described in maintaining a thematic dictionary. That is, write down synonyms, associations to words, antonyms, etc.
Dictionaries can be kept both in paper form and in electronic form. For example, create a "dictionary" folder on the computer, in which to create several documents (each document on one topic). Or one document, divided into several sheets.
Although, when writing by hand, new vocabulary will be remembered faster, and finding everything is much easier in one notebook than in several documents of an electronic folder.
Such methods of maintaining a personal dictionary of a foreign language are convenient and effective. They help to systematize the studied vocabulary and memorize it faster. You just have to choose the method that is convenient for you.