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For some test English words, it doesn't look any better than Wiktionary: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pants http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pants http://en.wikt

For some test English words, it doesn't look any better than Wiktionary: http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pants http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pants http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ostensibly http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ostensibly http://www.google.com/dictionary?aq=f&langpair=en|en&q=ostensibly&hl=en http://www.google.com/dictionary?aq=f&langpair=en|en&#38... http://www.google.com/dictionary?aq=f&langpair=en|en&q=pants&hl=en http://www.google.com/dictionary?aq=f&langpair=en|en&#38... As a plus, Wiktionary lets you download their data :). If Google opens this up, then it could get pretty interesting

furyg3 17y ago
I'm learning Dutch, and it's even worse. Really basic, commonly used words aren't there. Good dictionaries are hard to build. At the same time, the web isn't constrained by space the same way a physical book is, which means that a result should have even more information. You shouldn't accept an online dictionary that gives you only one simple usage of a word. A good dictionary will list the short & sweet definition, alternative definitions, forms, example usages, pronunciation, history, usages in various situations/jargon, idioms, and word history. This dictionary just points you to a wiki.
- mdemare 17y ago
  I'm Dutch, and I use the electronic Van Dale Groot Woordenboek (€99). Google will give you wiktionary for the word "slim" ( http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slim http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slim ) Van Dale gives you this: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/381493/van_dale_slim.jpeg http://dl.dropbox.com/u/381493/van_dale_slim.jpeg
  - furyg3 17y ago
    You should really check out this website, which I love with all my Dutch-learning heart. http://www.mijnwoordenboek.nl/ http://www.mijnwoordenboek.nl/ "Slim" isn't a very good example for that dictionary, but check out something with a lot of possible EN-NL translations, usages, and jargon. http://www.mijnwoordenboek.nl/vertalen.php?src=NL&des=EN&woord=verbinding http://www.mijnwoordenboek.nl/vertalen.php?src=NL&des=EN... That site refers you to "Babylon 8", another installable dictionary which just came out with a Mac version. I'm not sure if it returns the same results as the site, but if it does I'd say it's a pretty good competitor for the VDGW (which is truly fantastic, itself).

furyg3 17y ago

I'm learning Dutch, and it's even worse. Really basic, commonly used words aren't there. Good dictionaries are hard to build. At the same time, the web isn't constrained by space the same way a physical book is, which means that a result should have even more information. You shouldn't accept an online dictionary that gives you only one simple usage of a word. A good dictionary will list the short & sweet definition, alternative definitions, forms, example usages, pronunciation, history, usages in various situations/jargon, idioms, and word history. This dictionary just points you to a wiki.

mdemare 17y ago
I'm Dutch, and I use the electronic Van Dale Groot Woordenboek (€99). Google will give you wiktionary for the word "slim" ( http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slim http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slim ) Van Dale gives you this: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/381493/van_dale_slim.jpeg http://dl.dropbox.com/u/381493/van_dale_slim.jpeg
- furyg3 17y ago
  You should really check out this website, which I love with all my Dutch-learning heart. http://www.mijnwoordenboek.nl/ http://www.mijnwoordenboek.nl/ "Slim" isn't a very good example for that dictionary, but check out something with a lot of possible EN-NL translations, usages, and jargon. http://www.mijnwoordenboek.nl/vertalen.php?src=NL&des=EN&woord=verbinding http://www.mijnwoordenboek.nl/vertalen.php?src=NL&des=EN... That site refers you to "Babylon 8", another installable dictionary which just came out with a Mac version. I'm not sure if it returns the same results as the site, but if it does I'd say it's a pretty good competitor for the VDGW (which is truly fantastic, itself).