Which brand of English dictionaries is the best one?

ZhongGuoRen   Sat Dec 09, 2006 3:57 am GMT
Oxford, Longman, Cambridge, Chambers, Webster, Collins, MacMillan,

Which brand of English dictionaries is the best one for non-English advanced learners?

And please show your reasons. Thank you very much.
User   Sat Dec 09, 2006 5:22 am GMT
The Oxford English Dictionary by far.
ZhongGuoRen   Sat Dec 09, 2006 5:45 am GMT
And please click these two sites as below. Which one is objectively better?

1, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition (Leather-look).
http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/book.pl?delxc11.htm&1

2, The Chambers Dictionary (Thumb-Indexed).
http://www.chambersharrap.co.uk/chambers/books/dictionaries/tcd_ti.html


Thanks!!!
Sarosh Khan from Pakistan   Sat Dec 09, 2006 7:38 am GMT
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary is the best for the learner of English language.

Sarosh
Minnie   Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:15 am GMT
Oxford Canadian Dictionary
for me
Liz   Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:16 am GMT
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The observer   Sat Dec 09, 2006 9:58 pm GMT
The Oxford English Dictionary!.

A sound investment despite its hefty price tag, a master piece amongst dictionaries; Suitable for learners as well as the more obssesive ones!
Collin   Sat Dec 09, 2006 10:36 pm GMT
Collins Cobuild. Easy to use, many example sentences and the CD-ROM, which gives access to the Bank of English.
Dic-observer   Sun Dec 10, 2006 3:22 am GMT
In the following order:

1. Collins Cobuild
2. MacMillan
3. Oxford

Please don't go for any Ameircan dictionaries. Their fonts normally suck and they use their own defined phonetic symbols. They can be hard to use. Make a wise choice, and go for Collins if you have to buy one.
Ferdes   Sun Dec 10, 2006 3:35 am GMT
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English The best selling dictioanry for non-native speakers of English
phil   Sun Dec 10, 2006 3:53 am GMT
Oxford English Dictionary or Collins Cobuild.
ZhongGuoRen   Sun Dec 10, 2006 3:59 am GMT
1, Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary (7th Edition)
2, Longman Dictionary Of Contemporary English (4th Edition)
3, Macmillan English Dictionary For Advanced Learners (New 2-colours)
4, Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary (2nd Edition)
5, Collins Cobuild Advanced Learner's English Dictionary (4th Edition)
6, Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (11th Edition)
7, The Chambers Dictionary (10th Edition)

Which One is the best for foreign learners?
ZhongGuoRen   Sun Dec 10, 2006 4:12 am GMT
Dic-observer
<Please don't go for any Ameircan dictionaries. Their fonts normally suck and they use their own defined phonetic symbols. They can be hard to use.>

Yes, I really don't like AmE phonetic symbols, I do prefer BrE phonetic symbols in my mind. The dictionaries of "Webster" series all seem to use strange AmE phonetic symbols all along. And I can't understand them all.
User   Sun Dec 10, 2006 5:14 am GMT
>> Please don't go for any Ameircan dictionaries. Their fonts normally suck and they use their own defined phonetic symbols. They can be hard to use. <<

Yeah, that's true. Many of them use odd phonetic symbols.
Dic-observer   Sun Dec 10, 2006 3:33 pm GMT
<<Which One is the best for foreign learners?>>


I would suggest you to have two dictionaries together: one is electronic and the other one is paper.

- Collins Cobuild CD -- very up to date dictionary, well defined definitions and a lot of example sentences for each word and then extra word bank aid for getting more example sentences. It can be installed to your computer drive. It will cost you 10 bucks from elearnaid website.

- Paper one: Both Oxford Advanced and Macmillan Dictionaries are good. Pick one. I am not suggesting Longman Contemporary dictionary as it does not contain not so common words that you normally come across in your reading and this is the same reason for Cambridge dictionary. Online version is a piece of gem but not so the paper one or CD version. I don't like American dictionaries due to their awkward phonetic symbols.

When are you going to buy one? Do tell us. We are anxious to know about your choice. :)