I use that one as well. Oli, some of us don't have English as their first language Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image! I sometimes need to look up a word to see whether or not I was right about its meaning.
Name of poster: nicnacuk Profile: Biography: I am a PhD Researcher at Cranfield University; Health Psychology is my area of expertise. Location: Cranfield, Bedfordshire Interests: I enjoy writing and watching films/playing games with my fiance. Occupation: I am a Research Officer at the University of Oxford. At a uni in the UK and you're making excuses for his poor command of English? Pfft. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Ok, you're right. But I was talking about myself and others that are not from English speaking countries Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Umm wow you lot are very critical. I made this post as Nicnac is my g/f and I was on her computer. ITS MY ERROR PUNISH ME NOT HER Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Justify what? The "which" as opposed to "what" or me not using dictionaries? What is used when it's an open question, which is used when there's a pre-set choice: e.g. "of those on-line".
I'm not (usually) that hard on non-native English speakers, but it struck me as particularly apposite since the question was about dictionaries, i.e. a linguistics post. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
Ain't none of 'em much good for usage - or even definition, if you can't read between the lines. I keep hoping they'll start pulling their digitally revolutionary weight and do something like include audio files with dialects instead of those pronunciation symbols. But no. A couple of years ago a guy I know got pissed off at an online definition (yeah, I have those kinds of acquaintances) and called the alleged publishing company of the dictionary - according to him, what he found after a week of checking around was that they had had nothing to do with it; that dictionary publishers had failed to take this online business seriously, and had loaned their names to people with no connections to the paperbound versions and often no serious background in wordsmithing at all. So at least for a while there cyberspace was being flooded with ostensibly brand name dictionary info that was not under adult supervision even, let alone professional and erudite control. (The "what" in the OP could be read aright in olden sense: compare "What online dictionary do you use" with "What fool doth this mortal be" or "What harm have I suffered from this perfidy ! 'Tis much to bear." )
"What" in those cases is used to mean "what sort of." Not "which." Shakespeare would not use it thus.
Exactly? What sorts of online dictionaries are there? What sorts can there be? Ummm, on line ones, and ones that define words... Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
