Showing posts with label dictionaries. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dictionaries. Show all posts

Monday, March 03, 2008

Two different sorts of dictionaries


As some writing friends told me about Random House Word Menu by Stephen Glazier, I decided to order it as well as a flip dictionary.
A word menu is a reference dictionary organized by subject matter, rather than in alphabetical order.
So for example there is a section on advertising and it gives all the words that are associated with the profession, plus their meaning. Or a section the home where all the different parts of a room, or even different words for rooms are listed. Or there is a section on the verbs to do with motion.

The Flip dictionary is a dictionary based on clues or cues rather than alphabetic order. So if you know there is a word for a scented mixture in a bag or box -- you can look it up and find pomander, sachet.
You want to know the science of law -- jurispurdence, the science of housekeeping is oikology btw
Or sea, person unfamiliar with --landlubber
sea robber -- buccaneer, corsair, freebooter, pirate, privateer
confiscate for miltary use -- commandeer

Both are highly addictive for different reasons and this should help my word choice no end.