A Review of English-English-Hindi Dictionary
This review attempts to evaluate English-English-Hindi dictionary published by MAANU Graphics, New Delhi, a publisher of general books with an ISBN 978-93-80078-00-7.
To evaluate, I have chosen a small number of entries from the proposed dictionary, and have compared them with Oxford English-Hindi dictionary, and Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (OALD), 7th edition.
The chosen entries are as follows:
intrepid: undaunted, fearless nirbhik, sahsi
The meaning of “undaunted” is not generally known by learners of English, however, it is used as synonymous with “intrepid” so the learners have to look up the meaning of “undaunted” too to understand the meaning of “intrepid”.
charlatan: a quack nim-hakim, kapti
The meaning of “quack” is not generally known by learners of English, however, it is used as synonymous with “charlatan” so the learners have to look up the meaning of “quack” too to understand the meaning of “charlatan”.
crank: a contrivance for producing a horizontal or perpendicular motion by means of a rotary motion, or the contrary, a bend or turn, a fadist : sanak , aaral
The word “contrivance” indicates uncontrolled defining vocabulary of the dictionary and the word “faddist” is unavailable in the dictionary though it is used in the defining vocabulary.
disable: to deprive of power, to injure viklang
When we compare the Hindi equivalent viklang with the Oxford English-Hindi dictionary we can notice that the English equivalent of the word viklang is “disabled” not “disable”.
dower: dowry dahej
The word “dower” is unavailable in the Oxford Advanced Learners’ Dictionary, 7th edition though it has more entries.
fossil: petrified remains of plants and animals, an out-of-date person or thing. jivashma
The word “petrify” is unavailable in the dictionary; however it is used in the defining vocabulary of “fossil”.
income: all moneys coming in for work or investments etc. aay, aamdani
When we compare “moneys” with the OALD, 7th edition it is noticed that the OALD labeled old use or law status to the word. This shows uncontrolled defining vocabulary.
insignificance: littleness, triviality tucchta; insignificant trifling, mean tucch
When we compare the Hindi equivalent of this entry we can notice that the dictionary mentioned tuccha as an equivalent whereas the Oxford English-Hindi dictionary mentioned mahatvahin, nagnya ,and nirarthak as equivalents.
khaki: dull yellowish brown khaki
The entry is defined as “yellows brown” in the dictionary whereas the entry is defined as “yellow brown colour “in the Oxford English-Hindi dictionary. In the dictionary the word “colour” is unavailable.
frond: the leaf of a fern patra
The word “fern” is unavailable in the dictionary however it is used in the defining vocabulary of “frond”.
awl: shoe-maker’s pricker suja
Is “pricker” an English word?
person: women, man vyakti
The first equivalent is “plural” whereas the second one is “singular”.
philology: the study of language, linguistic science. bhasha-vigyan
Philology is available as an entry but the words such as “linguistic” and “linguistics” are unavailable in the dictionary.
fulgent: shining chamkila is not in the OALD
The word “fulgent” is unavailable in the OALD.
coma: deep sleep ghahri nind
Does the word “coma” mean “deep sleep”?
designing: artful, schewing
The word “schewing” is unavailable in the OALD.
jail: a prison, gaol
The word “gaol” is unavailable in the OALD.
navel: nabhi To define “navel” the proposed dictionary used the word “depression” in its defining vocabulary while the OALD used the word “hollow” in its defining vocabulary which is a more suitable English equivalent.
slang: expression in common use but not approved as good English, jargon
Aapbhasha, gavanru bolo, gali galoch
Slangs are irrespective of language but the dictionary mentioned the expression for “English” alone.
gaseous: in form of gas gas-sambandi
The proposed dictionary mentioned gas-sambandhi as a Hindi equivalent of “gaseous” but the Oxford Hindi dictionary mentioned gaisiya as an equivalent to “gaseous”. However, the word gaisiya doesn’t sound a Hindi word. Here, the dictionary included around 9000 entries. And the title sounds “misleading” as it mentioned on the front cover “Pronouncing English-English-Hindi” Pocket dictionary, however, at the bottom it is mentioned “English-English-Hindi” uccharan sahit shabdakosh.
References:
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, Oxford University Press, 7th edition, 2005
Oxford English-Hindi Dictionary, Oxford University Press
