Dictionaries and search capabilities

gerraldo · 04-18-2009, 09:06 AM

At first I thought this function to be very useful. As I prefer to read my eBooks in english (and I'm no native speaker), I sometimes need to lookup a word (just a few times for each book).

But as there is no "fuzzy" search and no way to input a word (or just search for a part of it), in most cases the dictionary is useless... How to find "winced" when the basic form is "wince" etc.?!

Does anybody know of an english dictionary to include all different word forms (for searching purposes)? Are there any plans to include a "fuzzy" search in the future or some kind of virtual keyboard for input???

What do you think?

HarryT · 04-18-2009, 09:07 AM

The Chambers dictionary, which I have, includes all "inflected" forms of words. Eg, it not only has "swim", but "swims", "swam", "swimming", "swimmingly", etc.

tompe · 04-18-2009, 10:04 AM

As do the Concise Oxford dictionary. And the free dictionary found hera et MR also have all forms.

Idoine · 04-18-2009, 11:56 AM

As the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, and the Larousse Anglais Français Compact ! Tested, and tested again !

Edit : You need to put your dictionary(ies) at the root of the eBook folder, for a good working...

Edit 2 : MWCD and OALD are all-english ones, no traduction, just explanation...

Pulp · 04-18-2009, 12:41 PM

The Pons does that aswell

Jellby · 04-18-2009, 01:12 PM

No matter how many dictionaries have this, providing a "closest match" when the exact word searched is not found is indeed a needed feature, especially for languages with a high number of possible inflections.

gerraldo · 04-18-2009, 01:35 PM

Thanks for all the replies.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tompe

And the free dictionary found hera et MR also have all forms.

I tried all 3 (GCIDE, Wordnet and Websters 1913) - non of these finds other then the basic forms... Though they include them in the explanation, but that's of no use, as it's not found when searched!

Do all those other mentioned dictionaries (which are all commercial ones) really "find" all different forms and not just include them in texts?!

BTW: all-english is OK, I just need explanations.

Idoine · 04-18-2009, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerraldo

... Do all those other mentioned dictionaries (which are all commercial ones) really "find" all different forms and not just include them in texts?! ...

Don't really understand your question...
For example I made a small text/prc file with "winced", and in my laptop, Mobipocket Reader gives me several definitions :
Larousse : 1 for wince
Merriam : 3 : win[2] (?), wince[intransitive verb], wince[noun]
Oxford : 1 : wince

Strangely, when I put it on my Cybook, I had only my Franklin Thesaurus' answer (yeah another one !)

I made it a .mobi one, with Calibre, and then on my Cybook I have all the previous answers (though unfortunately, Cybook doesn't specify from which dictionary before you open the definition, an issue of the definition mode for me !)

Hope this answers your question !

tompe · 04-18-2009, 05:05 PM

I just tested "tucked" and got a match in Webster 1913. Same for "grunted". But these forms seems to be words in themselves in the dictionary. The Concise Oxford match for "grunted" is "grunt" and "gruntled". So maybe you are right that the Webster 1913 does not find different forms if they are not words in the dictionary.

HarryT · 04-19-2009, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerraldo

Do all those other mentioned dictionaries (which are all commercial ones) really "find" all different forms and not just include them in texts?!

Yes - or at least, the Chambers does.

gerraldo · 04-20-2009, 03:16 PM

So I decided to buy a commercial dictionary...
The free ones are OK (Wordnet-DICT was my favorite), but if you need to find all and not just basic forms, you do need to buy one.

My choice finally was "LONGMAN Dictionary of Contemporary English 5th edition" which has a very reasonable price + FREE Thesaurus and Collocations Dictionary.

Works like a charm and finds each and everything... *YIPPIEH*

Note: Pronunciation is shown in a very small size (not really readable), but I don't need this + some colored text is shown in a very light grey.

BTW: One still can't find things like "top hat", "white collar crime" and the like... But that would need changes in the CyBook software (the possibility to mark more then just 1 word).

04-18-2009, 09:06 AM	#1
gerraldo Anti-DRM Advocate Posts: 351 Karma: 960 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Vienna/Austria Device: CyBook Gen 3, Palm Tungsten T3	Dictionaries and search capabilities At first I thought this function to be very useful. As I prefer to read my eBooks in english (and I'm no native speaker), I sometimes need to lookup a word (just a few times for each book). But as there is no "fuzzy" search and no way to input a word (or just search for a part of it), in most cases the dictionary is useless... How to find "winced" when the basic form is "wince" etc.?! Does anybody know of an english dictionary to include all different word forms (for searching purposes)? Are there any plans to include a "fuzzy" search in the future or some kind of virtual keyboard for input??? What do you think?

04-18-2009, 11:56 AM	#4
Idoine Which book will be next ? Posts: 661 Karma: 2172 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: France Device: Cybook Gen3 1.5, Sony PRS 600 RC, Samsung Omnia...	As the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, and the Larousse Anglais Français Compact ! Tested, and tested again ! Edit : You need to put your dictionary(ies) at the root of the eBook folder, for a good working... Edit 2 : MWCD and OALD are all-english ones, no traduction, just explanation... Last edited by Idoine; 04-18-2009 at 12:52 PM.

04-20-2009, 03:16 PM	#11
gerraldo Anti-DRM Advocate Posts: 351 Karma: 960 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Vienna/Austria Device: CyBook Gen 3, Palm Tungsten T3	THX for your help So I decided to buy a commercial dictionary... The free ones are OK (Wordnet-DICT was my favorite), but if you need to find all and not just basic forms, you do need to buy one. My choice finally was "LONGMAN Dictionary of Contemporary English 5th edition" which has a very reasonable price + FREE Thesaurus and Collocations Dictionary. Works like a charm and finds each and everything... YIPPIEH Note: Pronunciation is shown in a very small size (not really readable), but I don't need this + some colored text is shown in a very light grey. BTW: One still can't find things like "top hat", "white collar crime" and the like... But that would need changes in the CyBook software (the possibility to mark more then just 1 word). Last edited by gerraldo; 04-21-2009 at 07:35 PM.

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04-18-2009, 09:07 AM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	The Chambers dictionary, which I have, includes all "inflected" forms of words. Eg, it not only has "swim", but "swims", "swam", "swimming", "swimmingly", etc.

04-18-2009, 10:04 AM	#3
tompe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,452 Karma: 7185064 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Linköpng, Sweden Device: Kindle Voyage, Nexus 5, Kindle PW	As do the Concise Oxford dictionary. And the free dictionary found hera et MR also have all forms.

04-18-2009, 12:41 PM	#5
Pulp Palm Addict Posts: 477 Karma: 1001951 Join Date: Aug 2008 Device: Cybook Gen3 [512mb, FW: 1.5]	The Pons does that aswell

04-18-2009, 01:12 PM	#6
Jellby frumious Bandersnatch Posts: 7,549 Karma: 19500001 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Spaniard in Sweden Device: Cybook Orizon, Kobo Aura	No matter how many dictionaries have this, providing a "closest match" when the exact word searched is not found is indeed a needed feature, especially for languages with a high number of possible inflections.

04-18-2009, 05:05 PM	#9
tompe Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,452 Karma: 7185064 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Linköpng, Sweden Device: Kindle Voyage, Nexus 5, Kindle PW	I just tested "tucked" and got a match in Webster 1913. Same for "grunted". But these forms seems to be words in themselves in the dictionary. The Concise Oxford match for "grunted" is "grunt" and "gruntled". So maybe you are right that the Webster 1913 does not find different forms if they are not words in the dictionary.