如何把"英英辭典"當"漢英辭典"

[Kooper]

http://georgechen.idv.tw/wordpress/?p=38

這人對英英辭典的運用已達爐火純青的境界, 竟然可以用英英辭典查出某個中文名詞的英文翻譯為何. 依照他的方法可以避免我們學英文的過程中, 又跳回中式思考模式.

我遵照他的方法, 確實查出了"螢火蟲"的英文
以下是我的步驟:
1. 用Longman dictionary of contemporary v4.2 CD ROM的search功能, 輸入兩個關鍵字 insect, light的交集, 出現三個結果, 其中一個是glow-worm: an insect that produces a small amount of light from his body.看起來好像就是這個字.
2. 再用Wikipedia search glow-worm. 從敘述中, 發現firefly這字很眼熟.
3.再用Longman CD ROM dictionary查firefly: an insect with a tail that shines in the dark.
4. 原來glow-worm泛指所有"身體"會發光的昆蟲, 而firefly屬glow-worm的一種, 它只有"尾巴"會發光, 若當初search 時輸入的關鍵字為insect & tail, 就會直接找到firefly了,經由這過程, 我也對螢火蟲的定義似乎更清楚了些.

[technobabel]

Common English dictionaries are arranged alphabetically from A to Z and that may not be the best way. What if we can arrange words conceptually and cross reference every word against every other.

How does a human mind store all those accumulated vocabulary? Not in an endless long list I hope. But the dictionary is a long list of words which does not reflect how words are being used in the real word. If you agree with me so far, perhaps you will be amazed with this website.

http://www.visualthesaurus.com/