On the use(fulness) of paper and electronic dictionaries

Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to compare the use and usefulness of paper and electronic dictionaries, as revealed by the latest research in the field. Various formats of electronic dictionaries are taken into consideration and the effect of the electronic medium is discussed. The main frame of reference was provided by the empirical studies which compare the use of paper and electronic dictionaries. Nonetheless, attention is also paid to the investigations which focused on one medium, but yielded findings relevant to the present discussion. The analysis is structured around the following areas: decoding, encoding, speed, look-up frequency, learning and appreciation. In view of the wide variety of the studies referred to, comparability issues and limitations of current research are highlighted. Possible directions of further investigations into paper vs. electronic dictionary use are outlined in the final part of the chapter.