Dictionary FAQ

[itfs]

Originally Posted by Doitsu

@itfs: You might want to ask a moderator to move your post to the Dictionary FAQ topic where it belongs.
Also you can't look up multiple words with the popup dictionary.

Weird! I didn't get any notifications that people had responded and only saw this by coincidence.

I can indeed look up a term with multiple words with the popup dictionary. I can look up terms with up to 4 words to be exact.

[itfs]

Originally Posted by Doitsu

Kindle dictionaries definitely support accented characters, but unlike Mobipocket Reader, Kindles will only display the first match and depending on the dictionary attributes words with accented characters might be treated like words without accented characters or vice versa.

In fact the dictionary shows definition of the single form "arrêt de règlement", but not the definition of the plural form "arrêts de règlement".
It is the same with all terms with accented letters on multiple words. It works correctly with terms of multiple words without accents or terms of multiple where only one word is accented.

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by itfs

I can indeed look up a term with multiple words with the popup dictionary. I can look up terms with up to 4 words to be exact.

You're right. I re-tested it on my PW2 and was able to select multiple words.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by itfs

Weird! I didn't get any notifications that people had responded and only saw this by coincidence.

I can indeed look up a term with multiple words with the popup dictionary. I can look up terms with up to 4 words to be exact.

Check the settings in your CP -

You want "subscribe all" on if you expect to be notified of responses to a thread that you start.

You can also select subscribe in the thread tools drop-down box if you want notifications of replies in threads that you did not start.

Your CP also has a section where you can manage your subscriptions (once you have at least one).

[Gregorius I]

I'm trying to put new dictionaries on my Paperwhite, I'm reading Latin, Middle English, and Chinese (traditional characters. I've found the most recommended Latin dictionary online)over 150 vyears old, so no copyright issues), and think i can get in plaintext. hoiw do I get from plaintext to tab delimited in order to follow your instructiona about getting this to work as a dictionary on kindle. I can also get the plaintext of the Chinese dictionary I want to use. Amazon's built in Chhinese-English duictionariy doesn't recognize most characters i need. I've tried it often, with no success. But i'm reaDding Tang dynasty stuff and the built-in is Modern Chinese. I have two Middle English dictionaries in mobi and have been using them by exiting what i'm reading, pulling one of them up from the book list. and using the "search" feature to find the words needed. This is cumbersome and i'd like to have he instant lookup i get with the French and German dictionaries standard with my Paperwhite. i'm not a programmer so am looking for a a simple and layman-accessible solution. i tried Amazon Customer Service but they couldn't help.

Originally Posted by stehk

Apparently there are a lot of problems with the dictionary support on the kindle fire and the k4s. This FAQ is not valid for them.
since there seem to pop up similar questions about dictionaries quite frequently i decided to write a little faq. maybe it contains some errors, but it might be useful to some people
Q: How does the kindle decide which dictionary to use
A: You can change the primary dictionary under menu -> settings -> menu -> change primary dictionary. This dictionary will be used for every book, with one exception:
Each book has a language-metadata entry. If a book is- say german- and you have a german dictionary on your device it will be used regardless of your dictionary.
Q: How can I look at / change the language metadata of a book.
A: Windows users can install mobihandler which will show the metadata file in your file explorer under properties. (note that dictionaries have a different language metadata which for example shows up in the mobipocket reader)
To change the metadata you best use the gui for the mobi2mobi perl script.
Q:Is it possible to use more than one dictionary for instant lookup at a time
A: No. But it is possible to have instant lookup for a dictionary -> press enter -> instantly look up within this dictionary from another dictionary.
Q: What does with / without inflections mean?
Ordinary dictionaries only show the infintive form of most words. Commercial mobi and prc dictionaries usually know inflections. So if you read: forbade, forbidden,... the dictionary will jump right to forbid)...
Self created dictionaries usually don't know inflections (unless someone has invested a lot of work)
Q: Where can I find dictionaries to buy/download for free
Most commercial dictionaries are drm protected and made for the old mobipocket reader (amazon bought mobipocket, used their software for the kindle and stopped developement on mobipocket).
So one of the best sources still is www.mobipocket.com keep in mind that you have to de-drm all books from that page (but still the best german to english/italian/spanish/french and vice-versa dicts- ). And of course the obvious www.amazon.com.
For free dictionaries look at this post:
Additionally:
Webster 1913: (according to arno schmitt it's fundamental to use a dictionary of the same era with the book you're reading- So I yearn to get this german classic on the kindle )
Some people even wrote inflections for their free dictionaries:
Spanish-English
French-romanian / English Romanian
Amazon has a free version of the quite extensive Duden Universalwörterbuch (german-german)- which you can download freely to your PC with kindle for PC. (They are having technical difficulties with the kindles themselves though). The downloaded book in this case is DRM protected and needs to be de-drm before it can be read on your kindle.
This list is not complete at all- just google
Q: Is it possible to create my own dictionary
Yes. If you have a tab deliminated txt file, or a stardict dictionary it's quite easy.
Or the mobipocket guide <-- Create a dictionary from scratch.
Q: How can I add inflections to my dictionary?
A: You need to modify the HTML source (after you convert your stardict/tab delimited txt). A minimal dictionary source file with inflections is demonstrated in this post.
Q: Where can I find a chinese/japanese dictionary?
A: While it is possible with the fonthack to display chinese and japanese fonts, it has been reported that dictionaries don't really work. Your best bet is the duokan firmware, which has stardict dictionary support.
Q: Is there dictionary support for pdf
The kindle 3 has dictionary support for pdf, the kindle 2 doesn't, but there's a hack for putting the firmware of the kindle 3 on your kindle 2
Q: Is it possible to use the dictionaries I have purchased for my kindle (or elsewhere) on my Android device / Iphone?
If your dictionaries are DRM-free there is one possibilty I know of (please post if you know any other):
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...1&postcount=10
(I don't know how well this works with dicts purchased in the amazon store, you have to de-drm and probably rename to .prc and then it may work)

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by Gregorius I

I'm trying to put new dictionaries on my Paperwhite, I'm reading Latin, Middle English, and Chinese (traditional characters.

I can't help you with the Chinese dictionaries, but I might be able to reformat your Middle English dictionaries so that you can use them as popup dictionaries, if the content is in the Public Domain. For best results you'll also need a text file with inflections for each headword. I'm not familiar with Middle English, but for Modern English the entry for go would look like this:

go, goes, went, going, gone

For Latin, you might find this free Kindle dictionary with inflection support helpful:

Whitaker Latin Dictionary

[patrickt]

I read only in two languages: English and Spanish. My Kindle invariably selects the correct dictionary automatically.

[samuelj]

Do anyone how to convert the Startdict to mobi so that it can be used with Kindle.