1. DICTIONARIES
JAMIE WINCHELL
LIS 704, DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY
R E F E R E N C E T O O L P R E S E N TAT I O N
OCTOBER 13, 2012

2. Dictionary Types
Dictionaries can be:
 General purpose
 Specialized
 Abridged
 Unabridged
 Rhyming
 Slang
 Polyglot
 Historical
 Illustrated
 Etymological
 And many more…

3. Dictionary Hunt
Dictionary Hunt
Examine each dictionary. Decide which type(s) it is.
 Explore the dictionaries The Visual Dictionary of Ancient Civilizations
The Sesame Street Dictionary
that are about the room Slang! The Topical Dictionary of Americanisms
and label the type(s) on World Wide Spanish English Dictionary
Japanese English Visual Bilingual Dictionary
your handout. The Poetry Dictionary
A Dictionary of Muslim Names
Dictionary of Banking Terms
Jeff Foxworthy’s Redneck Dictionary
A Consumer’s Dictionary of Food Additives
Types of dictionaries
The Rock Snob’s Dictionary abridged
acronyms & abbreviations
bilingual
children’s
The Oxford Dictionary of Word Histories concordance
etymological
general purpose
historical
A Dictionary of Dance illustrated
learner’s
metadictionary
Hippocrene Children’s Illustrated Italian Dictionary quotations
rhyming
slang
specialized
Concordance of Federal Legislation polyglot
subject
unabridged
visual
visual & hearing impaired

4. Dictionary Hunt discussion
The Visual Dictionary of Ancient Dictionary of Banking Terms
Civilizations  subject
 visual children’s historical Jeff Foxworthy’s Redneck Dictionary
 gated
The Sesame Street Dictionary A Consumer’s Dictionary of Food
 illustrated children’s Additives
Slang! The Topical Dictionary of  subject
Americanisms The Rock Snob’s Dictionary
 subject
 subject gated
The Oxford Dictionary of Word Histories
World Wide Spanish English Dictionary  etymological
 bilingual A Dictionary of Dance
Japanese English Visual Bilingual  children’s subject illustrated
Dictionary Hippocrene Children’s Illustrated Italian
 bilingual visual Dictionary
 children’s illustrated bilingual
The Poetry Dictionary Concordance of Federal Legislation
 subject  concordance subject
A Dictionary of Muslim Names
 subject

5. Dictionary Basics
Dictionaries provide:
 Definitions/simple word meanings
 Etymology & root history
 Usage
 Spelling
 Pronunciation
 Classes & forms of words
 Synonyms
 Graphical representations
Dictionaries can be:
 Print
 Online
 Within word-processing software
 2.0 online (free-content sites)

6. Dictionaries in Dewey
 Many dictionaries can be found in the 400s
 403 Dictionaries & Encyclopedias
 413 Dictionaries
 423 English dictionaries
 433 German dictionaries
 443 French dictionaries
 453 Italian dictionaries
 463 Spanish dictionaries
 473 Classical Latin dictionaries
 483 Classical Greek dictionaries
 But dictionaries are also shelved within each subject.

7. Twin Dictionary Tasks of the Reference Librarian
 Acquisition: each library will have its own unique
collection of dictionaries.
 Referral: reference librarians will develop word
source “muscle” based on…
 Visualizing the answer
 Complexity of question
 Depth of information the answer requires
 Determining the context of the word
 Best format for doing the search

8. Booklist Reference Reviews
 Go to Booklist online and create a free 14-day
account.
 Do a search for dictionary reviews.
 Browse and read through a few.
 Share with us one dictionary you would select for
“your” library. Why?

9. Practicing Dictionary Reference Questions
How would you go about helping a patron with these
dictionary reference questions?
 I did a phone interview with the mayor for my term paper. How do I cite his
comments in my bibliography?
 Is the word “parsimony” ever mentioned in the Bible?
 I was reading the novel The Kite Runner, and the word “Baba” was used. Is
that generic for “father” in Afghanistan?
 How do you spell the word that was the title of the poem by British poet
William Henley and Timothy McVeigh’s last words before he was
executed?
 What is the most relevant definition for the word “browser”?
taken from Cassell, Kay Ann and Hiremath, Uma. Reference and Information Services in the 21st Century. Neal-Schuman
Publishers. New York. 2004. p. 145

10. Top Ten Dictionary and Word Sources
 The American Heritage Dictionary
 Bartlett’s FamiliaryQuotations
 Dictionary of American Regional English
 Macmillan Dictionary for Children
 Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary
 MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing
 New Oxford American Dictionary
 The Oxford English Dictionary
 Roget’s International Thesaurus
 Webster’s Third New International Dictionary of the English
Language
list from Cassell, Kay Ann and Uma Hiremath. Reference and Information Services in the 21st Century. Neal-
Schuman Publishers: New York. 2004 (146)