chance

posted by Rob on March 17, 2009 10:05 AM

Here's a thing. The other day I wanted to check the meaning of a word and I happened to be nearer a dictionary than a computer. So I took the clumping great big dictionary off the shelf and opened it... to exactly the page with that word on. It's an 1800 page book and unlike other reference books that might fall open to the sections you use the most, I definitely don't keep looking up the same words. Mind you, the law of averages tells us that unlikely things will occasionally happen. But still, you do just wonder for a second whether you've now got a special power. So let me just see if I can do it again. Hmm, but maybe I can do it once out of three. OK, out of five then.

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Comments: 7


You've made me very curious. Which dictionary is it?

Posted by: Lee on March 17, 2009 10:31 AM


Why, Lee, it was the lovely Oxford Reference Dictionary, complete with maps at the back. Though one of these days I'm going to buy an old leatherbound set of the OED (since I doubt I'll ever want to look up new words in a paper dictionary). And being a terrible geek, I've got maybe a dozen other dictionaries, mainly technical ones.

Posted by: Rob on March 17, 2009 10:47 AM


I did exactly that, also with an Oxford Reference Dictionary. They're clever peeps at Oxford, do you think it is a telepathic widget or something they've built into the book?

Posted by: Cathie on March 17, 2009 11:36 AM


Hello Snowblog Rob. I am generally a silent follower but just wanted to drop a note to say thanks for the simple XML guide for publishers. I'm a M. Litt. student in Scotland and I'll be passing it on to my class - we're eager to learn but even with some understanding of HTML, wading through the tech-speak of learning XML is a bit of a chore!

Am off to play with my big Oxford Reference now to see how well this game works!

-Elaina

Posted by: Elaina on March 17, 2009 12:11 PM


It seems like we might be onto something here. Everyone, buy the Oxford Reference Dictionary (Psionic Edition).

And thanks, Elaina, that's very gratifying to hear.
I'm also trying to write an intro to HTML and websites that assumes no prior knowledge of anything (except maybe the English language) but it's taking a little while.

Posted by: Rob on March 17, 2009 12:30 PM


I'll look out for it Rob.

ps. my dictionary doesn't work :/

Posted by: Elaina on March 18, 2009 06:18 PM


I wonder if it differs significantly from my New Oxford Dictionary of English, which tops 2000 pages. And at the moment I'm saving up for the Chambers.

Posted by: Lee on March 18, 2009 07:45 PM

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