Dictionary: Possible to add others?

[bgpadron]

There are a handful of eReaders that claim to allow users to add custom dictionary or even add a competitor dictionary to expand word definition lookup. At lookup the application displays the dictionary list and allows the user to select preferred dictionary. In my case I would like to add a Spanish and Korean dictionary which I purchased/downloaded from Internet. Is this functionality being considered for Calibre?

[kovidgoyal]

No, not at this time. Patches are welcome.

[benedict1]

I too would like to have a different dictionary for the eBook Reader, I would like Latin to English. I have two purchased dictionaries that I bought from Kindle and they work on my Kindle Touch. Is there anyway to do this?? It's nice to have an English dictionary but I must believe there are thousands of users who would like something else. Not all English speakers out here!! Thank you.

[Earthlark]

I think it might be nice to see the possibility to use other dictionaries as well.

However, bgpadron and benedict1, you can use a pop-up dictionary program like Lingoes, which I use, to look up words. I use it with French and Japanese and English. Usually you just use a key combo like 'ctrl' 'right click' to click on the word and bring up a definition. Unfortunately, Lingoes doesn't seem to capture E-book Viewer's text, but there's also the option of having Lingoes look up what's on the clipboard. So I just turn that setting on when I want to read. Then, when I want to look up a word, I just hit 'ctrl' 'c' and the definition pops up. (I turn the setting off when I'm finished because otherwise definitions are always popping up whenever I copy/paste something.)

Not sure if other dictionaries would work better, but there are some others such as StarDict and GoldenDict... Lingoes does work pretty well and has a wide variety of dictionaries available; it just needs a better text-capture function.

[benedict1]

I did not know about Lingoes and am now trying to figure out how it works. While online Google Translate seems to be easier to go through than Lingoes. I still have to copy and paste so I just use Google Translate. For Latin, which is all I am really interested in right now, I also have the Words by Whitaker Dictionary installed on the computer and glossa which is a version of Lewis and Short's huge Latin dictionary. Not sure yet how Lingoes will surpass them.

What I don't see anymore is capability on Android-type tablets for a cursor word selection and automatic translation lookup function as I have on my Kindle Touch. iPad, Kindle Fire, Nook, none of the ones I have researched can support and electronic default dictionary other than the one that is installed for the language of the choice for the whole device. If you know of anyway to turn the Fire into a tool that can support an electronic Latin dictionary as the default lookup I would sure like to know about it. Copy and paste in the Fire or the iPad is a nuisance for on-the-fly translating. Only the Kindle Touch can handle it, but the Touch is limited as to its other functions, of course, having a trivial browser and small screen size to boot.

Thanks for the Lingoes que. I will play around some more to see if it offers much to me.

Good reading!

[Earthlark]

Originally Posted by benedict1

While online Google Translate seems to be easier to go through than Lingoes. I still have to copy and paste so I just use Google Translate.

In case you haven't figured it out yet, the benefit of Lingoes is that you only have to copy (when using in conjunction with E-book Viewer). The definition of the word, then, automatically pops up. (Note: for this to work, you must right click on the Lingoes icon in Windows' notification area and select "Translate clipboard text".) This avoids the extra steps of pasting and switching windows. (You can also add Google Web Definition to your dictionaries in the Index Group so that this will pop up along with whatever other dictionaries you have installed.)

As for the quality of the Latin dictionaries Lingoes has to offer...