Best dictionary going into year 2?

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Quis ut Deus
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Best dictionary going into year 2?

Post by Quis ut Deus »

Salvete omnes!

What dictionary would you all recommend for somebody headed into their second year of Latin self study?

I have Cassell's (35,000 entries) and Collins.

Should I get the bigger Cassell's?

Also, after Wheelock, should I get A & G, Gildersleeve's, or both?

I also plan to read "Harrius Potter et Philosophi Lapis."

Gratias vobis ago!

Damoetas
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Re: Best dictionary going into year 2?

Post by Damoetas »

You don't necessarily need a gigantic dictionary. For a lot of my Latin reading, I've used the little New College dictionary, revised edition, by Traupman. It's nice because it gives the senses of words in modern English, including idiomatic expressions. The English to Latin section is quite good too, if you're looking for that sort of thing. For more detailed definitions or senses, Lewis & Short is available online: http://perseus.uchicago.edu/Reference/l ... short.html I often just keep my laptop open in front of me while reading, and look things up in that.
Dic mihi, Damoeta, 'cuium pecus' anne Latinum?

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thesaurus
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Re: Best dictionary going into year 2?

Post by thesaurus »

I usually just use Whitaker's words for quick look-ups, and if I have questions about the specific usage of a word I use Lewis & Short via Perseus online. Sometimes I force myself to use a physical dictionary for old time's sake, but it's usually come back to my computer in short time. If you do use a computer, you'll want to be careful to pay attention to the words you look up and possibly write them down. Because of the relative convenience, it's more tempting to forget words right away and find yourself looking them up again and again.

Si confestim verbum invenire volo, plerumque programmate nomine Whitaker's Words utor; si profundior fodiam oportet, Lewis et Short dictionario apud Perseum utor. Nonnumquam dictionarium ipsum in manus volvere nostalgiae causa opto, sed mox in ordinatrum revertor. Si ordinatro uti vis, observa ne ignaviter verba inventa statim obliviscaris.
Horae quidem cedunt et dies et menses et anni, nec praeteritum tempus umquam revertitur nec quid sequatur sciri potest. Quod cuique temporis ad vivendum datur, eo debet esse contentus. --Cicero, De Senectute

Damoetas
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Re: Best dictionary going into year 2?

Post by Damoetas »

thesaurus wrote:If you do use a computer, you'll want to be careful to pay attention to the words you look up and possibly write them down. Because of the relative convenience, it's more tempting to forget words right away and find yourself looking them up again and again.

Si ordinatro uti vis, observa ne ignaviter verba inventa statim obliviscaris.
Yes, excellent point, I've experienced the same thing.... If you want to really master a text, make sure you write all the words down and review them; even the very act of writing them down is an aid in memory.... On the other hand, it's helpful to do "rapid reading" sometimes too, where you just try to read as much as possible as quickly as possible, without getting bogged down with the precise meaning of every word; both methods are good for experiencing the texts in different ways.
Dic mihi, Damoeta, 'cuium pecus' anne Latinum?

Quis ut Deus
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Re: Best dictionary going into year 2?

Post by Quis ut Deus »

Salvete!

Gratias vobis ago.

I copy down whole passages, as well. It does help.

And thanks for the link to the Lewis and Short webpage. That will be very useful.

Valete amici!

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