| Summary: The Spanish English dictionary (also known as "Spanish to English Dictionary" or "Spanish-English Dictionary") comes in many varieties, and choosing the best one for you is key to getting the most out of your Spanish to English Dictionary. |
With Spanish being the second most common language used in the United States, citizens who use English as their native language and Spanish as a second language often need a reference work to help them translate from one language to another. Whether attempting to express a known English concept in Spanish or finding out the meaning of an unfamiliar Spanish word, the tool to help bilingual speakers is a Spanish-English dictionary.
Spanish to English dictionaries come in various forms, from small pocket editions to unabridged hardback tomes, and the prices vary accordingly. When purchasing one, it is important to determine the primary need of the purchaser. For instance, is this to be a travel dictionary to use on vacation in Spain? If so, a small, portable dictionary that specifically lists Castilian dialect uses (Castellano) would be appropriate. Is the dictionary to be used for academic purposes, as in an advanced college Spanish class? A larger, unabridged Spanish dictionary might fit the bill here.
Most Spanish-English dictionaries have conjugations of verb forms and lists of Spanish verbs, and all designate the gender of nouns. This is very important for English speakers who are not used to dealing with inflectional endings. Spanish, like other European languages, assigns different suffixes and definite articles to nouns based on the noun’s gender. English, on the other hand, basically ignores the concept of gender as related to nouns. For example, any English noun can be preceded by the word “the,” as in “the boy” or “the girl.” In Spanish, “the girl” is “la muchacha,” because “muchacha” is a feminine noun. However, “the boy” is translated as “el muchacho,” a masculine noun. Though the root for both Spanish words is the same, the inflectional ending and the definite article both change to reflect the gender.
Another important consideration when choosing a Spanish-English dictionary is profane content. Some dictionaries list all words that are considered profane or obscene in both languages. Other dictionaries, particularly those designed for young students, leave all obscene terms out. Arguments exist for both approaches, and though it might seem easy to choose between profane and pristine, there are cultural and dialectical concerns that come into play. For example, “coger” is a perfectly valid word meaning “to take” in Castellano, but in Latin America and the American Southwest, it has a much more vulgar meaning associated with copulation. For this reason, it might be best to choose a dictionary that includes obscene terms, but clearly marks them as such to allow the user to avoid embarrassing improper usage.
As we have seen, when choosing a Spanish-English dictionary, the purchaser should take into account several important factors. Fortunately, with hundreds of Spanish-English dictionaries on the market, there is something out there to suit everyone’s needs.
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