Are dictionaries on the way out ??

[Prescott]

In view of the number of rather naive questions asked on this site I wonder whether the English dictionary is in serious decline. Either that, or some people are just too idle to look words up that they do not understand.

[jackomunro]

Exactly my sentiments Mr. Prescott. Not in the Lords today ?.

[Prescott]

Sorry jackomunro I am not him, strangely enough !!!

[squarebear]

Do you have an example of such a question?

[Prescott]

10a SOCLE (6) your help please

Answered by yourself sir !!

[trt]

I agree Prescott, but even so, there's no need for bad spelling with so many spell-checkers available on-line.

[grasscarp]

You should use yours Prescott to check the spelling of your eighth word!

[Bbbananas]

I agree with you prescott. It irks me too, but over on CB, if you comment or complain about spelling, correct wordage etc, you get an earblasting..... (is that a proper word?!!)

[squarebear]

Naive looks correct to me.

[cupid04]

I still have a number of dictionaries and a thesaurus, atlases etc. I like to double
check things sometimes if I'm not sure.A lot of my reference books I buy cheap in
charity shops apart from my chambers whichI bought half price on line. I do like
this site but I only ask for answers as a last resort. I enjoy doing crosswords and
puzzles and it would take all the fun out of it if i just copied someone elses without
bothering to try first.

[Old_Geezer]

Unconvinced. I have an Oxford Concise on the shelf that I use not infrequently. That said, if I'm at my PC I use my usual dictionary site first. How else can one progress when the word processor has come up with a list of garbage suggestions and one can't see the simple spelling error one has made ?

[grasscarp]

I was only pulling Prescott's leg and being pedantic squarebear - it started life as Naïve, but the diaeresis got dropped somewhere along the way.

[squarebear]

Oops, silly me.

[Prescott]

Thank you for that Grasscarp ! Unfortunately I don't have a diaeresis key on my keyboard. I imagine very few people do nowadays.

[Quizmonster]

Prescott, in Word, pressing Alt at the same time as 139 on the keypad produces a diaeresis i thus ï.

[bobbie22]

I just wondered what you are doing on here. I think this site is fun and helpful

[jno]

grasscarp, have you looked down the back of the sofa?

[wolf63]

I think that people should at least try and answer the questions before posting the question on AB. Some of them are so simple that even I know the answer without any problem - and I am not all that bright.

Failing that - Google it.

;-)

[MarkRae]

> I agree with you Prescott. It irks me too but, over on CB, if you comment or complain about spelling, correct wordage etc, you get an earblasting

I certainly do...

[grasscarp]

I think there are lots of things in my sofas as they are old, but probably not the missing diaeresis. Probably some dried up umlaat though!

[MarkRae]

Hold down the Alt key and, keeping it pressed, type 0239 on the keypad section of the keyboard.

http://docs.google.co...CTG2Yqd0BwDMHBi3LeT8A