[afrilex] Re: [asialex] Re: Josà Aguirre's metalexicography
- From: Leszek SzymaÅski <l_sz@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <michael@xxxxxxxxxxx>, <lexicografie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 9 Nov 2012 01:00:02 +0100
Dear all,
there is no point in fighting against progress. Like clay tablets disappeared,
so will paper-based dictionaries. Progress is a phenomenon one cannot stop.
What is more, translating and language learning, occupations with dictionary
use, are done with the use of computers. All these machines have network
access. Is there still anyone who does not take advantage of the
interconnections with their work? This is an insurmountable assistance!
Addtionally, printed works are more expensive to publish than digital works.
Economy takes over!
Best,
Leszek
----- Original Message -----
From: Michael Beijer
To: lexicografie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: 'Josà Aguirre' ; euralex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; asialex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ;
afrilex@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; DSNA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; lexicographylist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
; ishll@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx ; gillesmaurice.deschryver@xxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, November 09, 2012 12:39 AM
Subject: [asialex] Re: Josà Aguirre's metalexicography
Hi Gilles-Maurice,
I am fully in the digital corner myself.
I am a translator, and the sooner we move everything to digital the better.
You have no idea how I wish I could somehow get my entire bookshelf of quickly
aging specialist bilingual dictionaries into my CAT tool (translation
software). I have piles of dictionaries that still contain very good content,
but which is basically locked away in their paper pages and will soon just be
lost. I am thinking of, e.g., my 4 volume Dutch-English 'Jansonius' from the
70s, my Dictionary of Building and Civil Engineering by S.N. Korchomkin et al.
(Kluwer, 1985), and my Illustrated Dictionary of Mechanical Engineering by V.V.
Schwartz et al. (1984) â all of which I hardly use because they aren't as
readily accessible as my computer resources.
On the other hand, I am subscribed to several online dictionaries, and this
is where the future of lexicography should be headed if you ask me as a
translator. Graham P Oxtoby's amazing Comprehensive Dictionary of Industry &
Technology, and Aart van den End's Juridisch-Economisch Lexicon & Onroerend
Goed Lexicon can be seen as examples of how to successfully operate a
dictionary in the digital age. They are full of great content, are updated
daily, and you can email their authors term questions and will almost always
receive an answer within 20 minutes. Another success story is the Oxford
Dictionaries Pro (formerly Oxford Dictionaries Online). This is another
dictionary I am more than happy to pay my annual subscription for, as it has
become a one-stop shop for all of my English-language dictionary needs.
Incidentally, I might be buying myself a hard copy of Graham's Comprehensive
Dictionary of Industry & Technology as a Christmas present when it comes out in
December 2012 (2
volumes, 3600 pages!!!), but mostly just for fun. On a daily basis, I will be
accessing it online as I translate.
There are also various interesting free online multilingual dictionaries
popping up like mushrooms, which allow users to add words, such as Leo,
Dict.cc, bab.la, interglot, and the Proz.com KudoZ glossaries/term forums, but
what I am waiting for is a site that manages to engender the feeling of
community of the Proz.com term forums with the professional approach of say the
Oxford Dictionaries Pro site. Now that would be a truly modern dictionary!
Michael
Michael Beijer
Translator & Terminologist
(Dutch/Flemish into English)
46 Priory Street, Lewes,
East Sussex BN7 1HJ,
United Kingdom.
Tel. +44 (0)1273 483881
Mob.+44 (0)797 093 5608
michael@xxxxxxxxxxx
Skype/Twitter: michaelbeijer
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