A dictionary is an exhaustive list of lexemes in the language of one or more languages, usually arranged alphabetically, with reference to their meaning, frequency, etymology, etc. It is also a reference grammar that displays relationships among the information contained in the list. The dictionaries are frequently referred to as encyclopedias and reference books. Reference materials relating to language, culture, society, economy, government, and human knowledge are included in the reference areas. The dictionaries may be printed or online.
Linguists use dictionaries to collect important and useful data regarding word and phrases, culture, traditions, values, and grammatical aspects of languages. With the increase in globalization and communication worldwide, dictionaries have come a long way in their compilation, organization, and use. A dictionary has to be up-to-date in order to accurately depict changing standards, new ideas, and changes in society and culture. It should be flexible enough to serve as an instructional manual as well as a reference tool. dictionaries are categorized into two general categories: collectible and non-collectible.
Non-collectible dictionaries are data structures used by other programs aside from English. Some of these collections are constructed using a programming language such as Smalltalk, Java, C++, or Python. Python dictionaries are classified into two main types, those that define terms and phrases and those that represent sets of terms and phrases. Data structures for both classification are known as Python modules. There are other data structures that define words and phrases.
Python dictionaries fall into two major categories: fixed and variable type. Fixed dictionaries consist of fixed words and phrases and are referred to as dictionaries of known length and known vocabulary. Variable type dictionaries can be stored in memory or they can be accessed by code. Variable types include word values, numbers, and symbols.
Given a new definition or a passage in the Bible, one could search for appropriate words and phrases using a dictionary. A person could also search for words or phrases using a dictionary of unknown length. A child could create a dictionary of his own with the help of pictures or he could make a combination of different images. He could also add the texts of existing dictionaries or add new translations of holy books. Thus, a child’s knowledge of the world Bible would increase with his learning of the world English language using the English grammar of the given dictionary.
Python dictionaries use different dictionary format, such as text, html, binary, or even password. Text and HTML dictionaries have to be linked together using keywords or keyword phrases. The most common dictionary formats are text, html, binary and password. The first two are usually supported by most web browsers, but the third format, password, is only supported by Google browser. It is an extension of the HTML language and has the ability to add the dictionary, links and other features that are available in the other two formats.
A Maelle dictionary consists of the standard vocabulary and synonyms for commonly used English words. This dictionary was developed by Martin H. Maelle, publisher and editor in New York City, U.S. (published by Meth Publishers, Inc.). In this book, the word ‘gabby’ is derived from a French term ‘gaeabier’ and it refers to beautiful arms. The word is used to mean armful and ‘beautiful to the eyes’. ‘gaeabier’ is used to describe a woman’s arms in the context of beauty and is used very frequently in the English language.
An example of a Python dictionary is the Collins English Dictionary. This dictionary is mainly based upon the Doubleday and Black’s text and includes some other languages such as Latin, French, Greek and Spanish. The dictionary provides synonyms and a complete list of words in different languages for the user. The print version of the dictionary can be used as a reference or printed on paper for reading. The printable version can be used to create sentences or just listed as a part of the dictionary.
