Use Of Dictionaries Research Articles

The Use of Teaching Aids in the Teaching and Learning of Arabic Language Vocabulary

Vocabulary is an important component in acquisition of a language. The use of teaching aids can improve students’ mastery of vocabulary learning. This study aims to identify the use of teaching aids in the teaching and learning of Arabic Language Vocabulary at National Religious Secondary Schools and Government-aided Religious Schools from the perspective of teachers and students. This study uses a survey based on a set of questionnaire as instrument of data collection method which involves 31 teachers and 324 Form Four students who are randomly selected from secondary schools in Malaysia. The results show that the usage of teaching aids in teaching and learning of Arabic vocabulary is at a moderate level. Pedagogical implications of study show that teachers need to constantly improve the use of textbooks and dictionaries as the main teaching aids and try to enhance students’ mastery of vocabulary learning by diversifying the other types of teaching aids.

Sparse Representation by Frames with Signal Analysis

The use of frames is analyzed in Compressed Sensing (CS) through proofs and experiments. First, a new generalized Dictionary-Restricted Isometry Property (D-RIP) sparsity bound constant for CS is established. Second, experiments with a tight frame to analyze sparsity and reconstruction quality using several signal and image types are shown. The constant is used in fulfilling the definition of D-RIP. It is proved that k-sparse signals can be reconstructed if by using a concise and transparent argument1. The approach could be extended to obtain other D-RIP bounds (i.e. ). Experiments contrast results of a Gabor tight frame with Total Variation minimization. In cases of practical interest, the use of a Gabor dictionary performs well when achieving a highly sparse representation and poorly when this sparsity is not achieved.

The Effects Of Using Paper And Electronic Monolingual English Learners’ Dictionaries While Reading On Students In-depth Vocabulary Knowledge

Learning new words is a primary concern for most learners. Accordingly, many EFL students make use of English-English dictionaries, paper and electronic to develop their vocabulary. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study is to examine the effects of using dictionaries on students’ in-depth vocabulary knowledge. The results showed that students’ in-depth vocabulary knowledge improved when they used their dictionaries, in particular electronic ones. Thus, using dictionaries as a learning tool deserves more attention in the context of EFL vocabulary learning and teaching.

Planejamento e proposta de Unidade Didática para ensino de tradução: usos do dicionário

Esta proposta insere-se no ramo aplicado dos Estudos da Tradução e objetiva trazer à discussão a experiência de elaboração de uma Unidade Didática (UD) para ensino de tradução, especificamente no que se refere ao desenvolvimento da subcompetência instrumental na utilização de dicionários. Com base em fundamentos teórico-metodológicos da Didática da Tradução (conforme proposta pelo Grupo PACTE, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Espanha) e também por estudiosos da Lexicografia Pedagógica (WELKER [2004], BEVILACQUA [2006] e KRIEGER [2006]), estipulou-se uma UD com a finalidade de alcançar uma série de objetivos pedagógicos sobre o tema em pauta, objetivos esses relacionados ao emprego produtivo de dicionários no que se refere à elaboração de traduções, mediante a programação de tarefas de tradução aplicáveis ao ensino de tradução em cursos de graduação.

The contribution of dictionary use to the production and retention of the middle construction for Chinese EFL Learners

The contribution of dictionary use to the production and retention of the middle construction for Chinese EFL Learners

Data Presentation Structures in Specialised Dictionaries: Law Dictionaries with Communicative Functions / Datenpräsentationsstrukturen in Fachwörterbüchern: Rechtswörterbücher mit einer kommunikativen Funktion / La structure de la présentation des données dans les dictionnaires spécialisés

Abstract Theoretical lexicographers have developed a range of elaborate structures to describe the arrangement of data inside dictionaries, in particular in dictionary articles. However, most of these structures have been developed on the basis of detailed analyses of print dictionaries and relatively little has been said about the arrangement of data in e-dictionaries. The relevant data types are lexicographical data providing help concerning the function(s) and use of dictionaries on search results pages. In order to create a visual hierarchy on screen that makes the most important search result data stand out, lexicographers should prioritize functional data that are directly related to and support the function(s) of dictionaries on a need-to-have/niceto- have basis, because data presentation structures with functional focus may better help users achieve their intended goals, i.e. finding answers to problems in communicative situations. One result is that lexicographers can analyse and describe the visual hierarchy in terms of data presentation fields and search zones, even though some search results may be described as non-articles.

Lexicographical storing: a key lexicographical task in the era of the internet / Lexikographische Speicherung: Eine zentrale Aufgabe der Lexikographie im Internet-Zeitalter / Stockage de données en lexicographie: una tâche centrale de la lexicographie à l’ère d’internet

Abstract A user-driven approach in lexicography - e.g. the function theory of lexicography (Bergenholtz & Tarp 2002, 2003, 2004; Fuertes-Olivera & Tarp 2014; Tarp 2008) - compels lexicographers to use all possible means at their disposal to improve the quality of dictionary use and to ensure an optimal retrieval of information from the lexicographical data. For instance, the advent of the internet has substantially modified the design and compilation of dictionaries in two ways. First, online dictionaries are dynamic tools, which makes them more suitable for meeting user needs in different user situations. Second, thinking in terms of static lexicographic structures is erroneous as these are ill-suited for benefiting from existing and potential internet technologies, for complying with the tenets of the user needs paradigm, and for analysing the merits of lexicographical tasks such as lexicographical storing. This article follows Bergenholtz & Agerbo’s concept of lexicographical structuring, which supports the main tenets of the user needs paradigm and the necessity of analysing the process of storing lexicographical data in a lexicographical database. This analysis supports my belief that lexicographical storing is a new lexicographical task which must be better understood, especially when working with the large amount of data being stored in lexicographical databases such as the one on which we are currently compiling the UNIVERSIDAD DE VALLADOLID INTERNET DICTIONARIES OF SPANISH.

Methods in Lexicography and Dictionary Research

Methods are used in every stage of dictionary-making and in every scientific analysis which is carried out in the field of dictionary research. This article presents some general considerations on methods in philosophy of science, gives an overview of many methods used in linguistics, in lexicography, dictionary research as well as of the areas these methods are applied in. Keywords: scientific methods; lexicographical methods; theory; metalexicography; dictionary research; practical lexicography; lexicographical process; systematic dictionary research; critical dictionary research; historical dictionary research; research on dictionary use

Bilingual Dictionaries of the Turkic People as Indicator of Identity of Cultures

For acquaintance to the people, its traditions and mentality, first, it is necessary to know its language. Through comparisons of linguistic designs of the native and learned language it is possible to draw parallels, to reveal specifics of thinking and to make overall picture of the world of the people talked in this language to learn its identity. The first assistant, in this case, certainly, are translation dictionaries. In article questions of the emergence of bilingual dictionaries of the Turkic people, their structure, social and cultural functions as translation dictionaries is the major practical grant when studying other language are considered. The aim of this paper is to throw light upon the structure of bilingual dictionaries of Turkic peoples (including Tatar dictionaries) and their first publishing. Due to the changes of peoples’ view to the life and their attitudes towards these changes dictionaries reflect the changes of an active vocabulary of languages. In work development of the Tatar bilingual dictionaries (especially Tatar-Russian and Russian-Tatar lexicographic sources), as one of representatives of the Turkic world is in detail investigated; the structure, methods and methods of drawing up dictionaries are reflected, the analysis is given to dictionary entries, reflecting identity and mentality of the Turkic people. The presented material is the first experience of illumination of mental qualities of the Turkic people, including the Tatar people recorded in the form of lexemes in bilingual dictionaries. They give an objective assessment of mastering of the user of sociocultural competence, reflected in lexicographic sources. Results of this research assist active use of bilingual dictionaries in studying of Turkic languages for the purpose of diagnostics of levels of proficiency as language, and identification by information on the identity of the Turkic people. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n6s2p87

Using an Online Dictionary for Identifying the Meanings of Verb Phrases by Chinese EFL Learners

This article reports on the results of a study which investigated the use of an online dictionary by Chinese EFL learners in identifying the meanings of verb phrases. Thirty-two students with English as major subject participated in a meaning determination task with and without the help of the Macmillan English Dictionary Online (MEDO). Introspective and retrospective questionnaires were used to establish the participants' perception of the usefulness of the online dictionary, and how they used the online dictionary to search for their needed information. The results of the study show that learners improved in doing the task after consulting the online dictionary, but they also encountered some problems which led to incorrect choices. It is suggested that dictionary skills training should be provided, and improvements to online dictionaries should also be made.

A study of English majors in a Chinese university as dictionary users

This study describes the natural dictionary-using behaviors of a group of first-year English majors at Fudan University, Shanghai. It aims to gain some insights into how Chinese students as competent English learners actually use and view their dictionaries in the highly digitalized era, as well as the most common problems they encounter in finding contextual meanings for the looked-up words and the possible causes. The students were set a dictionary consultation assignment which was a near replication of Nesi and Haill’s (Int J Lexicogr 15(4):277–305, 2002) study of the dictionary-using habits of international students at a British university. Observations are made on what types of dictionaries and which dictionaries these Chinese students normally use, revealing a general tendency among the students to use multiple dictionaries in the digital medium. The outcomes of dictionary consultation are closely examined to map out the dictionary look-up patterns by the Chinese students and to identify various look-up problems. The findings demonstrate a preference of reading L1 translations over L2 definitions for the looked-up word, certain unrealistic expectations for L1 translations offered in the dictionaries, and the consequent difficulty experienced in identifying the dictionary sub-entry appropriate for the word’s contextual meaning. Also manifest is the growing confidence of a younger generation of dictionary users regarding the critical opinions they have formed of dictionaries despite a minimum exposure to dictionary teaching. These firsthand data on dictionary use under natural conditionswill also be applied in the design of an introductory course on lexicography for undergraduates at the English department, Fudan University.

Developing a dictionary culture through integrated dictionary pedagogy in the outer texts of South African school dictionaries: the case of Oxford Bilingual School Dictionary: IsiXhosa and English

The challenges posed by a poor societal dictionary culture and an inability of school curricula or teachers to integrate dictionary pedagogy in the everyday teaching and learning activities compel lexicographers to integrate dictionary pedagogy in the outer texts of school dictionaries. This is done through design features that encourage learners to appreciate the educational value of dictionaries while facilitating efficient and optimum use of the dictionaries. This article discusses the state of societal dictionary culture and dictionary pedagogy in South Africa. In spite of the acknowledged poor dictionary culture, it is shown that the school curriculum provides sufficient space for dictionary use as part of everyday teaching and learning as well as the nurturing of dictionary skills. Without delving deeper into how teachers respond to these educational policy provisions on dictionaries, which warrants a separate comprehensive study, the article demonstrates how the recently published Oxford Bilingual School Dictionary: IsiXhosa and English (De Schryver et al. 2014), typifies school dictionaries in which lexicographers go beyond addressing learners’ educational needs regarding language and other school subjects to integrate dictionary pedagogy that may prove beneficial in the long-term development of dictionary skills and dictionary culture. This is particularly evident in the study of selected outer texts. However, the success of these endeavours depends on whether the target users use dictionaries in the first place, which still makes the role of teachers indispensable.

The role of qualitative approaches to research in CALL contexts: Closing in on the learner’s experience

The article considers the role of qualitative research methods in CALL through describing a series of examples. These examples are used to highlight the importance and value of qualitative data in relation to a specific research objective in CALL. The use of qualitative methods in conjunction with other approaches as in mixed method research designs are a particular focus. It is argued that qualitative methods are especially effective when used in this way.
 
 The discussion also aims to elaborate upon the role of qualitative approaches within CALL specifically, as a domain for research study with particular attributes that require a qualitative orientation. Here the use of electronic dictionaries is considered. Dictionary use is suited to such a discussion because it occurs frequently in everyday life, suggesting a qualitative approach, as well as in research studies that are strictly controlled, as in a quantitative approach. The contrast is instructive and helps demonstrate the respective strengths and limitations of each method. 
 
 Also central to the discussion is the language learner. A number of the studies described emphasize the importance of listening to the students’ voice in the qualitative component (e.g., Conole, 2008; Jones, 2003). It is in the unpacking of what students actually do moment-by-moment in CALL tasks and activities that best illustrate the strengths of qualitative methods in enhancing our understanding of mediated learning and thereby driving productive research agendas.

English Digital Dictionaries as Valuable Blended Learning Tools for Palestinian College Students

<p>Digital technology has become an indispensible aspect of foreign language learning around the globe especially in the case of college students who are often required to finish extensive reading assignments within a limited time period. Such pressure calls for the use of efficient tools such as digital dictionaries to help them achieve their academic purposes. Efficient use of such tools, however, would not be possible unless students are familiar with their special features so as to use them to their maximum advantage. This paper investigates the extent to which Palestinian college students are familiar with the features and advantages of different dictionary types especially digital ones. It also probes the effect of using certain activities on the students' level of awareness and dictionary use. A structured interview and a test were applied on a group of 148 Arts and Science students at two local universities. The interview measured the purposes (skills) that these dictionaries are used for and the domains they are used in. At a later stage in the experiment, these students were involved in an eight week activity that required them to use an online dictionary on a daily basis to complete an assignment. After the experiment, it was found that the frequency of dictionary use declined in the case of the print dictionary and increased remarkably in the case of the electronic (CD-Rom) and online dictionaries. It was also found that exposing students to the authentic language available in electronic dictionaries notably enhanced the students' overall language proficiency.</p>

Where do Business Students Turn for Help? An Empirical Study on Dictionary Use in Foreign-language Learning

Where do Business Students Turn for Help? An Empirical Study on Dictionary Use in Foreign-language Learning

Lexical Representation of Knowledge about a Human Being in English

This paper presents the research in the sphere of lexical representation. On the premise that word meaning offers insights into conceptual knowledge stored in the mind, we have analyzed the semantics of the set of synonyms denoting a human being without reference to gender, age, occupation or peculiarities of personality and without any evaluation of the referent. These lexical items are person, individual, human being, and one of the meanings of man and personality. Use of etymological, dictionary, derivational, collocation, context analysis and conceptual modelling enabled us to build a list of conceptual components that comprise the knowledge about a human being represented in the English language. To date, the conceptual models used to visualize knowledge do not seem applicable to visualizing knowledge about a human being; therefore, we could only formulate the main features that are characteristic of this knowledge in the English world-view.

A comparison of the effectiveness of EFL students’ use of dictionaries and an online corpus for the enhancement of revision skills

AbstractQualitative research focusing primarily on advanced-proficiency second language (L2) learners suggests that online corpora can function as useful reference tools for language learners, especially when addressing phraseological issues. However, the feasibility and effectiveness of online corpus consultation for learners at a basic level of L2 proficiency have been relatively unexplored. The current study of Japanese-L1 (first language) learners in an EFL (English as a foreign language) context (N=117) addresses these gaps in research. A preliminary investigation (Experiment 1) examined EFL learners (n=78) as they used the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA: Davies, 2008–) to revise essays. Experiment 2 (n=39) used a within-subjects comparison to determine whether participants attained greater accuracy in supplying the missing word in a gap-fill test when using an electronic dictionary or COCA. The survey results from the two experiments revealed that participants generally found using an online corpus difficult. In Experiment 2, a paired-samples t-test showed that participants, at an alpha of p=.05 two-tailed, were marginally better able to answer test questions when using the online corpus than they were when using an electronic dictionary, p=0.030. The implications of the study within the context of previous research are discussed along with pedagogical recommendations and possible avenues for future research.

The Dictionaries in Which We Learn to Think

Taking its title from the discussion of a ‘new Meno’ to be found in Difference and Repetition, through an examination of the link between learning and thinking set out across Deleuze's work this paper charts the important sense in which philosophical thought is characterised by an apprenticeship. The claim is that just as certain aesthetic and biological processes involve inscrutable and non-resembling elements that cannot be known in advance, the experience of learning is one oriented by unforseen encounters. With a view to a peculiarly heuristic use of dictionaries in the case of language learning, the paper shows how the logic (or event) of this experience is one whereby the putative meaning of things does not enjoy a priority over the immanence of their expression.

Assessing dictionary skills

This article discusses the role of dictionary skills in language learning as part of professional reference skills and as life-long language learning skills. It advocates for the integration of these skills in the language teaching and assessment cycle in a systematic way. Drawing on Nesi’s (Dictionaries in language learning. Recommendations, national reports, and thematic reports from the TNP sub-project 9: dictionaries, 1999) and Lew’s (Electronic lexicography in the 21st century: thinking outside the paper, 2013a) stages of dictionary use skills, it suggests that assessing dictionary skills is necessary if we want to study and analyze these skills in dictionary users under a common framework. Research on the use of dictionary skills in different countries and under several situations as well as responding to different reference needs can only be systematized if dictionary skill assessment is carried out under the same general assessment criteria. Several dimensions for assessing dictionary skills are considered.

An analysis of and effective method for the use of collocation dictionaries: Focusing on the lexical collocations of ‘wind’

An analysis of and effective method for the use of collocation dictionaries: Focusing on the lexical collocations of ‘wind’