Recommended dictionaries for NAATI translator test Thread poster: Rachael Kim
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Hello all,
I am taking a NAATI Professional Translator Test in about 4 weeks time and would like to know which electronic ditionaries or manual dictionaries are suitable to bring to Exam venue.
Could anybody advise me the model no. and brand for Electronic dictionaries?
I’ve tried to find a suitable electronic dictionary on the web however not many options I’ve got.
Otherwise please let me know name of the manual dictionaries which are okay for the exam.
... See more Hello all,
I am taking a NAATI Professional Translator Test in about 4 weeks time and would like to know which electronic ditionaries or manual dictionaries are suitable to bring to Exam venue.
Could anybody advise me the model no. and brand for Electronic dictionaries?
I’ve tried to find a suitable electronic dictionary on the web however not many options I’ve got.
Otherwise please let me know name of the manual dictionaries which are okay for the exam.
Oh, I intend to take English into Korean test this time.
Appreciate your help in advance.
Rachael Kim (E-mail: [email protected])
[Edited at 2009-10-20 00:30 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | What languages?? | Oct 19, 2009 |
I reckon it would be important to know what languages do you plan to translate from/into...?
| | | | | Electronic dictionaries | Oct 19, 2009 |
I was a bit worried when I took the test because I had been told some electronic dictionaries were not allowed, and I really wanted to use mine because it contains at least 20 dictionaries (imagine the weight if I had to carry paper dictionaries!)
I called the local NAATI office and gave them the reference of my electronic dictionary to make sure it was allowed.
They told me it was fine since my dictionary doesn't have a "translation" option. Maybe you should call them too? Mine is ... See more I was a bit worried when I took the test because I had been told some electronic dictionaries were not allowed, and I really wanted to use mine because it contains at least 20 dictionaries (imagine the weight if I had to carry paper dictionaries!)
I called the local NAATI office and gave them the reference of my electronic dictionary to make sure it was allowed.
They told me it was fine since my dictionary doesn't have a "translation" option. Maybe you should call them too? Mine is a Casio Exword XD-72500. ▲ Collapse
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if your electronic dictionary has a translation function, don't take it with you. They will write down the number before the test, and it will be checked. If they find out, you will automatically fail.
******
http://geraldineoudin.com
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| Printed materials provide a lot more information and options | Oct 19, 2009 |
Geraldine Oudin wrote:
I was a bit worried when I took the test because I had been told some electronic dictionaries were not allowed, and I really wanted to use mine because it contains at least 20 dictionaries (imagine the weight if I had to carry paper dictionaries!)
What's wrong with carrying dictionaries? I carried a whole medium-sized suitcase with about 20 different books to my ATA test (i.e. from Spain to Michigan) and am happy I did so. I also plan to take a similar, probably bigger suitcase to my DipTrans in January (luckily I do this one in Madrid, just some 60 km from home).
It is simply impossible that any electronic dictionary will contain the information made available by reference books of all kinds (and I don't mean bilingual dictionaries, but monolingual dictionaries, grammar reference books, etc...
Carrying part of your working library with you is cumbersome, but critical to have a solid reference during the exam. And on the other hand, you don't do these tests every day, do you?
| | | | | Electronic dictionaries | Oct 19, 2009 |
[quote]Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:
Geraldine Oudin wrote: It is simply impossible that any electronic dictionary will contain the information made available by reference books of all kinds (and I don't mean bilingual dictionaries, but monolingual dictionaries, grammar reference books, etc... Carrying part of your working library with you is cumbersome, but critical to have a solid reference during the exam. And on the other hand, you don't do these tests every day, do you?
Sorry Tomás, but I am afraid that your opinion about electronic dictionaries is totally outdated, especially if we are talking about Japanese electronic dictionaries. They include not just top bilingual dictionaries, but also monolingual (Oxford and Collins: Dictionaries, Thesaurus, Grammar, Idioms, you name it) and encyclopedias (Britannica Concise). Usually many more (most of them contain over 100 dictionaries/reference books). Advantages: you can carry it in your pocket, you can search in all dictionaries at the same time (not only entries, but also in the definitions and example sentences), and they cost a fraction of the price of buying all those paper behemoths.
Narcis
| | | | | I will research this in more detail | Oct 19, 2009 |
Narcis Lozano Drago wrote:
Sorry Tomás, but I am afraid that your opinion about electronic dictionaries is totally outdated, especially if we are talking about Japanese electronic dictionaries. They include not just top bilingual dictionaries, but also monolingual (Oxford and Collins: Dictionaries, Thesaurus, Grammar, Idioms, you name it) and encyclopedias (Britannica Concise). Usually many more (most of them contain over 100 dictionaries/reference books). Advantages: you can carry it in your pocket, you can search in all dictionaries at the same time (not only entries, but also in the definitions and example sentences), and they cost a fraction of the price of buying all those paper behemoths.
Narcis, thanks for the hint. I will research this in more detail.
Now, as they said when the first motor vehicles arrived to rural areas: "Ok, but does it come to you when you shout its name?".
Well, all I can say is that if my father had bought an electronic version of the dictionaries he used in his time, today I would not have some very good dictionaries. In a way I think about it about dictionaries on paper: if any of my children decides to follow my steps, they will not have to worry about recharging anything or compatibility between devices. And if they get a new product (in my case, new versions of the books), they can heat their homes with the old ones.
| | | | Rebecca Jowers 
Spain
Local time: 11:18
Member (2005)
English to Spanish
+ ...
| Question for Narcis | Oct 19, 2009 |
I would appreciate having more info on the electronic dictionaries you mention. What is the make and model of those that you would recommend? Exactly which dictionaries do they contain?
Thanks in advance!
Rebecca
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| nothing wrong, but | Oct 19, 2009 |
Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote: It is simply impossible that any electronic dictionary will contain the information made available by reference books of all kinds (and I don't mean bilingual dictionaries, but monolingual dictionaries, grammar reference books, etc... Carrying part of your working library with you is cumbersome, but critical to have a solid reference during the exam. And on the other hand, you don't do these tests every day, do you?
Nothing against paper dictionaries! I own and use quite a few paper dictionaries and glossaries (list of the ones I use frequently on my website). But I don't think you need to bring that much for the NAATI Test, honestly, especially if you have some translation experience. I took my electronic dictionary just in case, but I didn't really need it, and I passed with a good grade.
The test is nothing too specialized, and you can pick two texts out of three.
The trickiest part is the ethics section, you need to learn the booklet by heart.
Good luck!
http://geraldineoudin.com
[Modifié le 2009-10-19 12:20 GMT]
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Narcis Lozano Drago wrote:
Sorry Tomás, but I am afraid that your opinion about electronic dictionaries is totally outdated, especially if we are talking about Japanese electronic dictionaries. They include not just top bilingual dictionaries, but also monolingual (Oxford and Collins: Dictionaries, Thesaurus, Grammar, Idioms, you name it) and encyclopedias (Britannica Concise). Usually many more (most of them contain over 100 dictionaries/reference books). Advantages: you can carry it in your pocket, you can search in all dictionaries at the same time (not only entries, but also in the definitions and example sentences), and they cost a fraction of the price of buying all those paper behemoths.
Narcis
Thanks Narcis. Mine is a few years old and does not contain 100 references, but maybe half of that in all directions (ENEN, ENFR, FRFR, JPEN and JPFR). Pretty good.
What's more, you can "jump" between any of those dictionaries, glossaries and encyclopedias. It saves a LOT of time sometimes to have instant access to many references.
And when I am not sure how to read a Japanese character, I can even draw it on the screen and abracadabra! it pops up instantly.
However, I am not sure wether dictionaries that advanced are available outside Japan, China and Korea, and for combos which doesn't include one of those languages. Mine for example who probably be a bit harer (but not impossible) to use for someone who doesn't read Japanese at all.
http://geraldineoudin.com
[Modifié le 2009-10-19 12:19 GMT]
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Dear Rebecca,
Some links:
-Seiko
-Casio
-Canon... See more Dear Rebecca,
Some links:
-Seiko
-Casio
-Canon
-Sharp
These are just some models, you can see the contents in the pictures. All these are for the Japanese market and the interface is in Japanese (I think that you can switch the interface language between English and Japanese in some of them, but that was not the case with the ones I own).
As they are intended for Japanese users, you will not find many contents for Spanish, except for Japanese-Spanish and a simple English-Spanish bilingual. But they are extremely useful for English monolingual queries and, of course, anything related to Japanese.
I have seen some Casio models in Spain. They have far less contents, but they are more targeted to Spanish language queries. Link.
These dictionaries are great to carry around, especially for students, maybe interpreters, or when you are reading. But for actual work I would recommend software dictionaries. They have far better search options.
BTW, I wrote an article about the different types of dictionaries (in Spanish) some time ago .
Narcis Lozano
[Edited at 2009-10-19 13:05 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | English-Spanish electronic... not quite there yet | Oct 24, 2009 |
I have been checking different models of electronic dictionaries for my main language pair and honestly we are not quite there. The contents of the devices could be OK for a business traveler, but little more...
[Modifié le 2009-10-24 07:09 GMT]
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Tomás Cano Binder, CT wrote:
I have been checking different models of electronic dictionaries for my main language pair and honestly we are not quite there. The contents of the devices could be OK for a business traveler, but little more...
[Modifié le 2009-10-24 07:09 GMT]
I am not surprised. You won't find anything really goodunless you work with Japanese.
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