For about 20 years I’ve been telling students, budding journalists and new reporters: “I am a great speller...with a dictionary.”
It’s a phrase I started using to reassure average students that not getting an “A” in spelling didn’t disqualify them from becoming a journalist and to remind to new reporters to look up a word if they are unsure of a spelling or meaning.
As spell check became common and the internet put a virtual library on each computer, I sensed fewer and fewer folks admired my loyalty to the dictionary. Who needs to take the time to open up a book when you have a computer that can do the work for you? Despite all the technological advances, when I wrote or edited and was unsure of a spelling I looked it up in the dictionary on my desk.
Until last week. I was editing and needed to check a spelling and opted for Google over Webster’s. A few minutes later I needed to check a meaning, again I went to Google. I have to admit it was faster than opening my dictionary.
I’m feeling a little guilty about abandoning my dictionary and wondering how many people still use one.
Telling students “I’m a great speller...with Google” just doesn’t have the same ring.
Let me know what you think.
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7 comments:
Good topic for discussion.
I do use google for spelling and to look up word meanings when necessary. However, I won't part with the dictionary and thesaurus I used in college.
It is good that technological advances allow us to access information quickly. But I'm old fashioned--I like knowing that the good old book version of the dictionary is still available. If the internet is down, there's always the book version.
This may sound corny, but if I use the dictionary book to look up a word, I often notice other interesting words on the page that peak my reading interest.
My favorite part of using a dictionary: my word list. I keep a list of words that I look up, and I use the list as a bookmark - marking the page of the last word I looked up. If google or Webster's online could keep a similar list, I might be more tempted. For now, I'll stay with the hard copy. Recently added to the list: complementary and phylactery.
An update.
I used my dictionary today to confirm that the word "gossip" comes from the ancient English word "godsips" or god parents. It felt good. I didn't even try to look it up online.
By the way, does anyone (other than anon. 7/8 1:05 p.m.) know what phylactery means?
I did not know phylactery...had to use google for this one since my dictionary is home:
Phylactery
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Phylactery may mean:
Phylactery, Greek term for tefillin, leather boxes worn on the arm and head during certain Jewish services
Phylactery, an amulet to protect the wearer from harm
Phylactery, in fantasy fiction, an object used by a lich to contain its soul
Re: This may sound corny, but if I use the dictionary book to look up a word, I often notice other interesting words on the page that peak my reading interest.
Shouldn't noticing other interesting words have piqued your reading interest?
Open up that good old book version and take a peek at pique and peak!
You could always just go to a dictionary website like www.webster.com. That way you have the convenience of online, with all the content that comes with opening the book.
Its really a great blog about internet dictionary.
It really help us thanks for posting it on net.
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