spoken english dictionary

Leena   Wed Sep 27, 2006 11:56 am GMT
Hello every one
I would like to ask u abt any spoken english dictionary you know even as a book or in a website?
M56   Wed Sep 27, 2006 1:40 pm GMT
I don't know of a dictionary, but there is a grammar:

http://www.amazon.com/Hardcover-Longman-Grammar-Written-English/dp/0582237254
Mary   Wed Sep 27, 2006 10:29 pm GMT
If you're looking for a dictionary of slang (with examples) try www.urbandictionary.com.
Boy   Wed Sep 27, 2006 10:52 pm GMT
Leena, your question was a bit unclear. Did you mean where you could buy a dictionary that provided only those expressions and phrases that were used in spoken English? Or were you referring to a dictionary that had audio recordings?
Try http://www.peakenglish.com -- you can learn American slang/expressions there.

Also, You must buy a CD version of collins cobuild dictionary. It will cater to all your needs. It is almost a perfect dictionary. If you search a word "start" it will come up with all the phrases and expressions in which that word is used.
Leena   Sat Sep 30, 2006 10:09 am GMT
M56
Yeah the dictionary seems good but not what i want

Mary
thank you alot 4 your reply,no i didnt mean a slang dictionary but spoken english dictionary i mean a vocab for every day conversation.


Boy
Hello boy i miss you a lot
I actually meant the first part of what you said<<a dictionary that provided only expressions and phrases that used in spoken english>>
the website is really cool i will try it.
the dictionary i want is like the most words used in conversation because there is a difference between the spoken english we speak in daily life and the written words used in books..etc.I heard that u cant use the written words in conversation because they seem more formal,sometimes poetic or scientific according to the item you read.Im not a native english speaker so thats why i dont want to say something sounds weird to other people.Hope Im clearer now in my point.
Boy   Sat Sep 30, 2006 5:27 pm GMT
Leena, I think I hang around here from time to time without a long gap .. it is you who doesn't post questions most often so infact we miss you a lot.

The best way to devleop your spoken English is to watch movies and sitcoms and maybe listen to Englsh talk shows on radio channels. Do you have FM channels in Saudi Arabia?

You would be fine with formal words in coversations than informal/spoken words in written English. You would be marked down if you used slang or informal words in your essays or compositions.

Register with that website as it contains such expressions that you normally hear in English movies. For instance, bullshit, cut to the chase, I gotta run, cut your crap, asshole, jerk, give a shot...etc

Most of the time people speak standard English and throw some slang or informal expressions here and there...that's it.

Dictionary is your best bet for developing ur spoken English as it lists down which words are more frequent in spoken or written form.
Leena   Sun Oct 01, 2006 7:51 am GMT
Boy
sometimes,some questions come to my mind but i feel a little bit ashamed of posting them.They are realistic questions,but i feel have no answers.Unfortunately,some members here have no patience to answer questions he or she might regard them as silly questions.I teach Arabic from time to time but actually i dont act like that.
I like movies,sometimes i memorize sentences or phrases,use them,or even drop them.The language of movies are a bit different from the language used in schools.This makes me mixed up.The grammer in movies seem odd.I try to analyze a movie phrase syntatically but find disgusting difference.Everything is short.If i once work in a bank,for instance,can i use the movie language and address people like that?

Of course we have FM channels and broadcasting,too.

I know that we better use standard english in essays or whatever.I'm askin' here abt the spoken english!!!

Boy,u agree now that formal english is the best abd we gotta use it,but previously u said something else!!
I like the dictionary and cant live without it but I dont want to sound odd with people.
Boy   Sun Oct 01, 2006 10:21 am GMT
Leena, I think your English is good. Why are you so hard on yourself? You should just enjoy the language without being too much worried about looking odd. I attended many exhibitions in my city where native speakers came from different native speaking countries. I observed how they normally spoke. I never saw them using any slang or idioms in their conversations. They used short and simple sentences which were devoid of obscure vocabulary words. As a rule, we should stick to standard form of language whether we speak or write because that way we are not going to end up as a foolish persion. Not all people in real life can understand idioms and slang. On the other hand, if you want to enjoy watching movies then learning common idioms and slang terms is important. As I said above, anything is okay if it doesnt include slang terms. I mean, for example, if one's writing is not comprehensible on the cheque you would not to say to them " Your writing is bullshit, I can't understand it, go and write your cheque again." You would rather say "Your writing is not legible, I can't read it. Can you tell me what you write there?" So standard form is the best model to imitate and I also don't speak slangy language in real life. It is just my opinion, I might be wrong. I hope other native speakers can remove your doubts with their expert advice.

My older brother has been to USA for almost 12 years. I heard him speaking with native Americans on the phone when I was on the hold. He never spoke any slang terms or idioms neither those native Americans.
All of them spoke the standard form of the language and it was to my great consternation that none of them used vocabulary words. Their whole conversation was based on simple grammar structures.

When my brother heard me speaking then he told me to cut down on the length of my sentences. He told me that Americans speak short sentences.

Enjoy the language!
Leena   Mon Oct 02, 2006 11:11 am GMT
Boy
I enjoy the language but suffer from some frequent mistakes.I want to be fluent i'm reaching to a good level now but i feel not sure abt it.I want the one who correct my mistakes but dont often find him!!!!!I like using slang when i want to make fun of some one but not in everyday basis.I agree with u now that standard english is the best.
Boy my real problem is the choice of right words in the right time.