Tools of the Trade, pt.2: Dictionaries
Tools of the Trade, pt.1 briefly discusses thesauruses, with a quick note on why they are useful to indexers, and the More Resources for Writers page, which provides links to freely accessible online resources such as thesauruses, dictionaries, research guides, and more.
And now to discuss another tool that is of crucial importance to indexers…
Dictionaries
A Dictionary is *defined :) by Merriam-Webster as being a reference book that lists, alphabetically, terms or names important to a particular subject, including definitions and other pertinent information.
*I paraphrased the first two definitions.
When indexing, biographical dictionaries offer information on famous or otherwise relevant people — these can give critical background information or help an indexer distinguish between multiple people who share the same name; language dictionaries present insights into the nuances of words; and subject dictionaries provide specialty knowledge and vocabulary on any given topic — subject dictionaries are of vital importance when a book’s target audience includes subject experts.
A List of Some Dictionaries
Biographical dictionaries
Language Dictionaries
Fowler’s Dictionary of Modern English Usage (Oxford, 2015)
Merriam-Webster’s English Dictionary (& Thesaurus) free access
Subject Dictionaries
Department of Defense Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms free access
A Dictionary of All Religions and Religious Denominations
(Click the image to the right for a complete list of Oxford University Press dictionaries.)
Find these dictionaries (and more) at your local library. Contact your librarian, search WorldCat, or contact me for help with finding what you’re looking for.
