Dictionary Recommendation
- Thread starter Callaina
- Start date
 Tongue.gif "(1) Tongue out :p")
As somebody, who's never tried the paper version of Liddell & Scott, what are the main benefits, Pacis puella, if we omit the benefits one might feel by using a real book instead of a computer/phone? If there are indeed some pieces of information which are missing from the e-version, I might consider adding the scanned version of LSJ into my lexica website.
One considerable benefit is that you can simultaneously see what comes before and after the entry you happen to be looking at. This can be highly instructive, and sometimes vital.
Hmm... right. My own implementation of a fully digital dictionary would show this. I've done this here http://lexica.linguax.com/saxo.php?searchedLG=mater (so far my only fully digital dictionary) where you can see what came before and what comes next in the right bottom corner.
(you could even make it that you would see simultaneously the whole entries, of course)
Anyway, if there's more to the scanned version, I'm still considering it (leave me a message in that case, somebody
).
Did you figure this out and get it implemented, btw?This would definitely work better for me, since the characters will show up as Greek on my screen. I'll look into how to do this on my system, thanks
Haven't yet had a chance/really needed to -- it's not like I've had to type lots of Greek text (there's an online keyboard I've been using for short things, like a word or two.) It's on my list, though.
Well, I asked because of this: I wanted to know what more info it gives
(maybe you mean the preface, the abbreviations, etc.?)
Read the posts that follow the one you quoted. Or, to put it shortly, the online version of Liddell and Scott's doesn't give the principal parts of verbs, but I discovered then that they were given in a different link (LSJ) given by Perseus.Well, I asked because of this: I wanted to know what more info it gives
Oh, I didn't know that! I must check the scans then...
Is it a sewn copy printed at the O.U. Press?My Liddell & Scott arrived just now! *squeeeeee*
Thank you all again for your advice in picking this out!
It's printed at the Oxford University Press. Not sure how to tell if it's sewn -- it's hardcover...
Now, glancing in it again, I just found a rather cryptic form letter included.
"Unfortunately in your case your book has been found to have a minor flaw and we don't have any other copies to replace it with. We have sent you the book anyway so you can decide for yourself if it is acceptable -- it's your book, so it's your call."
And that's it. I wish they would tell me what the flaw is, as it's sort of important, LOL. Like, are pages 329-336 missing? Have the entries for one letter been left out of the alphabet? Has every other acute accent been changed to a circumflex? Or is it just that the front cover is slightly banged up in one corner??
I think I'd better e-mail them and ask, since I'm going to be relying on this thing for several years, LOL.
Someone else I know had a similar message recently in a book they bought online. I could be wrong but this sounds like a generalised disclaimer disguised as exceptional circumstances, the idea being that a customer will be less displeased with any faults they find on a book (and less inclined to send it back) if the seller confesses to them first, however late in the day the confession comes (in this case when you'd already bought it and opened it). It's crude sales psychology in operation. Was it one of the high volume sellers? Betterworld Books, by any chance?*It's printed at the Oxford University Press. Not sure how to tell if it's sewn -- it's hardcover...
Now, glancing in it again, I just found a rather cryptic form letter included.
"Unfortunately in your case your book has been found to have a minor flaw and we don't have any other copies to replace it with. We have sent you the book anyway so you can decide for yourself if it is acceptable -- it's your book, so it's your call."
And that's it. I wish they would tell me what the flaw is, as it's sort of important, LOL. Like, are pages 329-336 missing? Have the entries for one letter been left out of the alphabet? Has every other acute accent been changed to a circumflex? Or is it just that the front cover is slightly banged up in one corner??
I think I'd better e-mail them and ask, since I'm going to be relying on this thing for several years, LOL.
You can tell whether a book is sewn by looking for the centrefold of a gathering of leaves. In my copy of the Middle Liddell the first centrefold is at pages 8/9. Open the book right open as far as possible and look down the very centre of the centrefold of these pages. If the book is sewn there will be a discontinuous line of thread visible. Perfect-bound books (i.e. books bound only with adhesive) are not bound into gatherings (known as "sections") at all, but are simply single sheets of paper glued down the spine edge. This style of binding is cheap and cheerful but rarely makes a book suitable for long term use.
* Or maybe World of Books?