Dictionary FAQ

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by JacquesTati

As you can see in the attachment, with the Kindle Paperwhite you can scroll through the various definitions of the word "match" (three in this case) by tapping on the arrow keys. This is not allowed on the Kindle Touch. Do you think it is possible to achieve the same function? Maybe, with a jailbreak.

Unfortunately, the dictionary functionality is hard-coded in the Kindle firmware and there are even significant changes between the first and second generations of Paperwhites. Also, since the Kindle home-brew developers haven't figured out how to access the Kindle dictionary API, there's little chance of a dictionary hack.

[JacquesTati]

Originally Posted by Doitsu

Unfortunately, the dictionary functionality is hard-coded in the Kindle firmware and there are even significant changes between the first and second generations of Paperwhites. Also, since the Kindle home-brew developers haven't figured out how to access the Kindle dictionary API, there's little chance of a dictionary hack.

I see.
Thanks, Doitsu.

[CougarMellenhead]

I get a warning about having no cover image when compiling my .opf dictionary. How do I set a cover image?

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by CougarMellenhead

I get a warning about having no cover image when compiling my .opf dictionary. How do I set a cover image?

If you're using Mobipocket Creator, double-click the .opf file, then click Cover Image, drag & drop a cover image to the window and click Update.

If you created your .opf file manually, add the following line to the .opf file in the <x-metadata> section:

<x-metadata>
...
<EmbeddedCover>cover.jpg</EmbeddedCover>
</x-metadata>

(Replace cover.jpg with the name of your cover image.)

[JacquesTati]

Sometimes, tapping on the past participle of a verb, the look-up dictionary gives me the meaning of the noun only. Forgetting the verb one. This peculiarity happens from time to time, not always. Generally, as you know, there are those arrow keys which allow you to flip through the different meanings. Or the various definitions are one below the other and you have just to scroll the bar. But, every now and again, the arrow keys disappear, preventing you that. This happens with past participles only. In consequence, I am forced to go to ”more”, ”open dictionary” and find the meaning by myself. That’s quite irksome! And a waste of time, as well.
I was wondering if it’s possible — through a hack, maybe— to keep those arrow keys permanently there.
I’ve attached a screenshot as an example.
Thanks!

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by JacquesTati

Sometimes, tapping on the past participle of a verb, the look-up dictionary gives me the meaning of the noun only. That’s quite irksome! And a waste of time, as well.

Unfortunately, the resolution of inflected word forms is hard-coded in the dictionary and couldn't be changed by a hack.
You could only change this behavior by installing a different dictionary. Maybe one of the Collins dictionaries is better suited for your needs. However, they got mixed reviews.

[JacquesTati]

Originally Posted by Doitsu

Unfortunately, the resolution of inflected word forms is hard-coded in the dictionary and couldn't be changed by a hack.
You could only change this behavior by installing a different dictionary. Maybe one of the Collins dictionaries is better suited for your needs. However, they got mixed reviews.

Thanks, Doitsu.
I hope they’ll fix it in the next update.

[Difermo]

Can some1 write me inflection for dictionary but not the simple one that can be found.
A more complex will be best
THX

[tedgorton]

I have long used the excellent Larousse Spanish-Spanish dictionary on my old Kindle Touch. Now I have a shiny new Kindle Paperwhite and all my books transferred fine. A few DRM'd ones went in via Kindle App and Calibre with the de-DRM plugin. So far so good. Unfortunately the Kindle does not recognise the Larousse as a dictionary. I spent 20 hours converting the mobi file to AZW3, sent it to the device (using Calibre), but no good, the only Spanish dictionary I can use as I read is the truly awful Merriam-Webster thing and an almost equally inferior "Diccionario electronico".

I messed around a lot using Finder to move the file from a folder named "Unknown" to "Dictionaries", tried it with an empty folder named SDR (like 2 other dictionaries that work), IN the "SDR" folder, just in Documents, then in all 3 folders. When I try to read it on the Kindle it tells me there is something wrong with the file; I can read in in Calibre's e-Reader but it takes a LONG time to open. But I don't want to read a dictionary, I want to use it to look up meanings as I read. Metadata has "dictionaries" as a Tag and Spanish as "language".

Any ideas?? thanks in advance

[HarryT]

Presumably you bought this from the Kindle Store in the first place? I'd suggest getting in touch with Kindle CS, and seeing if an updated version of the dictionary is available.

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by tedgorton

I have long used the excellent Larousse Spanish-Spanish dictionary on my old Kindle Touch. Now I have a shiny new Kindle Paperwhite and all my books transferred fine.

Calibre cannot handle Kindle dictionaries. If you convert them with Calibre, they'll be converted to regular Kindle books, which is not what you want.
Simply copy them directly to the \document\dictionaries folder on your new PW.
(You'll have to DeDRM them, if they're DRM-protected and you don't want to register your new PW with Amazon.)

[tedgorton]

Thanks, Doitsu and HarryT. I bought the Larousse from a Spanish site I can no longer find; if Amazon had a good Spanish-Spanish dictionary I would be happy to buy it (I bought the "Diccionario electronico espanol" which does not have half the words I look up reading novels).

I have pasted the mobi and AZW3 files into the "Dictionaries" folder to no avail. I used "MobiMetaEditor" someone kindly posted on this forum, to set the input and output languages as Spanish. The Larousse shows up as a book and I can open it, but the Kindle does not know it is a dictionary despite the Tag.

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by tedgorton

I bought the Larousse from a Spanish site I can no longer find; if Amazon had a good Spani.sh-Spanish dictionary I would be happy to buy it (I bought the "Diccionario electronico espanol" which does not have half the words I look up reading novels).

Amazon offers the Kindle edition of the DRAE for free for all Kindle owners, which should be more than enough for your needs.

Originally Posted by tedgorton

I have pasted the mobi and AZW3 files into the "Dictionaries" folder to no avail. I used "MobiMetaEditor" someone kindly posted on this forum, to set the input and output languages as Spanish.

Simply adding input and output languages doesn't turn a mobi book into a dictionary. Most likely your book doesn't contain the required tags or if it did contain them it was most likely converted with Calibre. You can test whether your book is actually a dictionary by unpacking it with KindleUnpack. (If it is indeed a dictionary, you should see lots of <idx:entry> and <idx:orth> tags.)

[tedgorton]

Doitsu, I am amazed! the DRAE would be wonderful, I have been all over their site and Amazon and cannot find it offered, free or otherwise, as an e-book. Could you kindly send me a link?

many thanks
Ted G

[Doitsu]

Originally Posted by tedgorton

Doitsu, I am amazed! the DRAE would be wonderful, I have been all over their site and Amazon and cannot find it offered, free or otherwise, as an e-book. Could you kindly send me a link?

If your PW is registered, you can send the DRAE to your PW via your Amazon account web site:

Digital Contents > Manage Your Contents and Devices > Books > Dictionaries & User Guides > el Diccionario de la lengua española

You can also download this dictionary with the Kindle for PC version (or other Kindle apps). Simply open a Spanish Kindle book with it, look up a word, click the cogwheel button in the upper right corner of the dictionary window and select el Diccionario de la lengua española.