Quote:
Originally Posted by DMB
I note that in various discussions people refer to looking up words when reading. Me, I just read. I find in practice that I sometimes need a dictionary or thesaurus when writing, in order to find the mot juste. And then I am happy with my dt reference books. So I wonder why anyone needs to look up words so frequently as to interrupt their reading to do so and look words up in a dictionary in the reader. Of course, if you are reading in a language not your mother tongue, it's a different matter. There are always going to be words you're not sure of or have never even met. But if it's your own language and you are an adult, why the dictionary?
|
Because I read a lot of 19th century novels, and there are many words which have fallen out of common usage. Although one can of course simply guess the meaning from the context, the dictionary on the Kindle or the Sony makes it so easy to look the word up that it enhances the reading experience to do so.
Eg, take this sentence from Anthony Trollope's "Barchester Towers":
Quote:
|
Thus clad, she peered out into the tent, went to the ha-ha, and satisfied herself that at any rate the youngsters were amusing themselves, spoke a word to Mrs. Greenacre over the ditch, and took one look at the quintain.
|
Now, without looking in a dictionary, do you know what a "ha-ha" is? How about a "quintain"? On the Kindle, I can find out the meaning of these words in a few seconds, which makes the book more enjoyable.