best foreign language & dictionary options?

joedevivre · 12-12-2009, 03:40 PM

Hello,

I am a lifelong student of the French language. I would be very interested in an eBook reader if there were a large number of French books available for it, and it had a strong dictionary feature. Ideally, I would like to be able, while reading a French text, to touch any word (with my finger or perhaps a stylus) and have either an English translation of the word, or a definition in French, pop up. Even better would be to have a choice of a number of dictionaries, both French -> English and French -> French.

Does anyone know if such a reader exists? Or the one that may be closest to offering these features?

Thanks!
Joe

GA Russell · 12-13-2009, 01:35 AM

Joe, I can't answer the specifics of your question. But Ectaco is in the electronic dictionary business, and I suggest you go to their website and look at their eBook reader the jetBook.

wallcraft · 12-13-2009, 09:40 AM

The format with the best commercial dictionary support is MobiPocket. This was once popular, but is now disappearing from ebook readers (because Amazon, who own MobiPocket, want you to buy a Kindle instead). The only MOBI Readers with dictionary support left are the Bookeen Cybook Gen3 (there are also ePub versions, so make sure you get the MOBI) and the more expensive iRex devices.

The other alternative is devices supporting non-commercial dictionaries. The PocketBooks (360, 301, and more coming) allow you to add your own dictionaries and there is already a collection of public domain dictionaries to choose from.

I don't know for sure that any of these do exactly what you want. You might ask in the Forum Français, particularly about the Gen3.

12-12-2009, 03:40 PM	#1
joedevivre Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: none	best foreign language & dictionary options? Hello, I am a lifelong student of the French language. I would be very interested in an eBook reader if there were a large number of French books available for it, and it had a strong dictionary feature. Ideally, I would like to be able, while reading a French text, to touch any word (with my finger or perhaps a stylus) and have either an English translation of the word, or a definition in French, pop up. Even better would be to have a choice of a number of dictionaries, both French -> English and French -> French. Does anyone know if such a reader exists? Or the one that may be closest to offering these features? Thanks! Joe

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12-13-2009, 01:35 AM	#2
GA Russell Argos win Grey Cup! Posts: 7,673 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	Joe, I can't answer the specifics of your question. But Ectaco is in the electronic dictionary business, and I suggest you go to their website and look at their eBook reader the jetBook.

12-13-2009, 09:40 AM	#3
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,977 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	The format with the best commercial dictionary support is MobiPocket. This was once popular, but is now disappearing from ebook readers (because Amazon, who own MobiPocket, want you to buy a Kindle instead). The only MOBI Readers with dictionary support left are the Bookeen Cybook Gen3 (there are also ePub versions, so make sure you get the MOBI) and the more expensive iRex devices. The other alternative is devices supporting non-commercial dictionaries. The PocketBooks (360, 301, and more coming) allow you to add your own dictionaries and there is already a collection of public domain dictionaries to choose from. I don't know for sure that any of these do exactly what you want. You might ask in the Forum Français, particularly about the Gen3.

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