Using the English Dictionary for Comprehension

Abstract

A linguist's view of dictionary use for comprehension is offered which highlights the positive contribution the learner-user has to make even when using a good dictionary. The look-up process is analysed into seven main steps. In most of these, the proficient user, far from performing a purely mechanical operation, is often required to formulate and pursue several hypotheses and make use of prior knowledge of various sorts, especially information derived from context. Analysis in some detail is provided for those steps that are usually glossed over-namely, the search for an item in more than one location, the choice of the relevant sense, and the fitting of definitional information to the source context of the unknown word.