|  | 
  Macmillan English Dictionary For Advanced Learners of British English (Paperback) The Macmillan English Dictionary For Advanced Learners of English is the most extensive dictionary we have seen that is written for non native speakers (ESL - English as a Second Language)learning English. It has definitions that are descriptive and often brilliantly simple and the definitions are written to be easily understood with a 2,500 word vocabulary. It has a simple grammar that is explained on the inside cover. The brilliantly simple definitions make this dictionary very useful for native speakers of English. There are no word histories.
This is a very good dictionary for any school that teaches adults including Colleges and Junior Colleges. However, because the descriptive definitions define words like "sex" this dictionary is often not suitable for schools with younger students.
The CD version of this dictionary can be fully installed to your hard drive so you will not need to leave the CD in your drive. However, you will have to put the CD in the drive every 30 days to validate that you own the dictionary. It speaks each entry word in British and American English.
For words with many meanings, the definitions are summarized just below the main entry, enabling you to find the right definition easily for that text you just read or for the word you want to use right away in your own writing or speech.
Three things make this dictionary unique:
- the clarity and simplicity of the definitions
- the simple grammar
- An extensive dictionary that is still easy to use. The publisher claims this is the most extensive dictionary ever written for non-native speakers of English, and from our observations, this is true.
This dictionary was first published in 2002 and should not be confused with the Macmillan Dictionary for Students (hardback with blue cover), which was first published in 1973.
We have recommended this dictionary to a many customers, and most agree that it is a great dictionary!
From the publisher:
Dictionary Description
The most up-to-date dictionary for learners of English!
- Over 100,000 references and 80,000 examples of words in use
- More references than any other English learners� dictionary
- Only 2,500 words used to define all entries
- New two-color text for ease of use
- Up-to-date information on new words, spoken English and changes in meaning
- Short and clear definitions, with menus in longer entries to help find the meaning quickly
- Over 1,000 illustrated words throughout, along with a 16-page full-color section
Although the English language is made up of over one million individual words, 90% of all written and spoken text consists of 7,500. The Macmillan English Dictionary highlights these vital 7,500 in red, encouraging learners to swiftly grasp the core words necessary to speak and write fluently.
This is a practical reference book for the classroom and home, offering invaluable support for those wishing to write and speak English accurately.
These are the minimum system requirements:
IBM-compatible PC (A virtual PC running on a Macintosh or other system will not accept the CD.)
One of these versions of Microsoft Windows:
- 98 operating on a Pentium 133 processor with 32 MB RAM
- NT 4.0 Workstation with Service Pack 3 operating on a Pentium 133 processor with 64 MB RAM
- ME operating on a Pentium 200 processor with 64 MB RAM
- Professional Workstation operating on a Pentium 200 processor with 64 MB RAM
- XP operating on a Pentium 400 processor with 128 MB RAM
Microsoft DirectX
90 MB of free hard-disk space and 560MB for a full installation
CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive
DirectX-compatible screen card and monitor supporting 800 x 600 resolution with 16-bit colour resolution
Microsoft-compatible mouse or pointing device
For playback and practice of pronunciations: 16-bit Windows-compatible sound card with speakers or headphones, and microphone
Click here for one sample page from the paper American edition.
A Reviews by Bernard Littman, CEO e Learn Aid
I have personally used the American edition of this dictionary for several months now, and I really like it! It was written using only 2,500 words in its defining vocabulary. This means you rarely, if ever need to look up a word in a definition, even when you read all the definitions of a word. (Click here for more information on using a dictionary, in this manner.) It was written using such a small defining vocabulary specifically for an intended audience of non-native speakers of English.
The small defining vocabulary forces the lexicographers (dictionary writers) to simply define the words and not just compare the words with some other similar words that reader may not know. The results are often brilliantly simple definitions and the definitions do a marvelous job communicating the meanings of the words. Occasionally I may want more information, but generally the definitions are adequate for a full understanding. Sometimes they seem so simple I do not believe they could be adequately conveying a full understanding of the word but when I have compared the definitions with other respected dictionaries they have been accurate and complete with only one exception. (No dictionary is perfect!)
|
|