Electronic Dictionaries?

[Denny Crane]

My son Robby is now 11 (almost 12) and has been in Japanese public schools to date. We have to beef up his English language skills in anticipation of shifting to a school conducted in English, and I thought a Japanese-English electronic dictionary might be a big help.

In his case, the best version would be one for Japanese learning English, rather than the reverse. Any thoughts or recommendations?

Googling on the internet this morning, I came across something called the Japanese Language Tools Store at http://www.japaneselanguagetools.com/complete.html, where a person named Peter Rivard offers the "JLT System" with Eijiro, Edict, some other sw and a "choice of the Dell Axim X51V PDA with an English operating system and the HP iPAQ hx4700 with a Japanese operating system." It also has a handwriting entry system that I think might be very helpful. Any experience with this? Thanks.

Norm

[Robert Seltman]

I like canon products. My students find speaking dictionaries, ones that pronounce the word, very helpful... I generally find the pronunciation good from these state of the arts dictionaries. Better to get the top models to assure accuracy and functionality... which he will use often as he grows in the school systems.

[Denny Crane]

I like canon products. My students find speaking dictionaries, ones that pronounce the word, very helpful... I generally find the pronunciation good from these state of the arts dictionaries. Better to get the top models to assure accuracy and functionality... which he will use often as he grows in the school systems.

My wife called three or four mothers of elementary school classmates. who all say the J. public schools forbid the use of electronic dictionaries, insisting on paper ones.

That is, for use in school. What the kids do outside is in fact different, of course -- especially since there is probably not a mother in Japan who would not use every possible method of gaining an advantage for her children in school. <g>

Preston Nevins mentioned a number of apps for his iPod Touch that include learning programs and dictionaries. I think I will take a look at my notes and the minutes of that KMUG meeting for ideas, especially since Costco now has iPod Touches for sale at 10,000 yen for 8 GB, 25,000 for 32 GB and 35,000 for 64 GB. One mother said her HS level son got one of the earlier models that was 16 GB and it works fine for this purpose, plus games, music, etc., etc.

Again, my need here is for a program or programs -especially dictionaries -- that work for a Japanese learning English, rather than the reverse. The iPod Touch can of course operate with directions in various languages, which may help.

Norm Solberg

[Robert Seltman]

Keitai dictionaries are replacing electronic dictionaries (even many teachers now use iPhones for both internet research and dictionary use) but I don't like it, as I can't be sure if students are participating in class work or just texting their friends. Also keitai are easy tools for cheating (though a clever student could also put a crib sheet into the memory of most modern dictionaries notes function).

At university level (and for most international schools) electronic dictionaries are essential. Multilingual students, like Chinese exchange students or students studying several languages, have multi-language models or carry two or more electronic dictionaries.

I have my electronic dictionary with me always, primarily to check my English or new words I discover. From Japanese to English for me is too time consuming even with a good dictionary, so I usually ask a student or friend to help me do the search.