Poll: How old were you when you bought/were given your first bilingual paper dictionary? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "How old were you when you bought/were given your first bilingual paper dictionary?".
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| | | | Thayenga 
Germany
Local time: 01:10
Member (2009)
English to German
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| 11 years young | Oct 23, 2010 |
My parents bought me an English/German dictionary to help me with the just beginning classes of English at school (5th grade).
It's seen some "rough" times, and the pages have almost turned black from it's constantly having been used, but I still have it.
| | | | | dictionaries already in the house | Oct 23, 2010 |
I first got my own when I was about 12, but there were already English-French and English-German dictionaries in the house.
My kids also grew up amongst dictionaries, so it's not surprising that one of them is a translator too.
| | | | Alison Sabedoria (X)
United Kingdom
French to English
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When I was 11, my mum bought me the Collins "Gem" French-English dictionary from the local Post Office, ready for the start of secondary school.
For me it was a portal into another world, its mystery increased by the thin paper and soft extended edges of the cover - features I'd previously only seen on Bibles!
I can still recall the slightly acrid smell. For decades it knocked around the house, used and abused,"annotated" in wax crayon by offspring. Not sure, but my li... See more When I was 11, my mum bought me the Collins "Gem" French-English dictionary from the local Post Office, ready for the start of secondary school.
For me it was a portal into another world, its mystery increased by the thin paper and soft extended edges of the cover - features I'd previously only seen on Bibles!
I can still recall the slightly acrid smell. For decades it knocked around the house, used and abused,"annotated" in wax crayon by offspring. Not sure, but my little granddaughter might well have it now. ▲ Collapse
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Nesrin
United Kingdom
Local time: 00:10
English to Arabic
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| Dictionaries already in the house (2) | Oct 23, 2010 |
I lived in a house full of Arabic/English/German/French dictionaries, and even when I left for university I took my dad's Arabic-English dictionary with me! How mean is that?
The only combination missing was French-German which I needed for school, so at the age of 13 or so I got me a French German "Micro-Robert Poche"..
[Edited at 2010-10-23 09:16 GMT]
| | | | | Older than me | Oct 23, 2010 |
Hi! I have an English to Romanian dictionary from 1974 that my father bought in anticipation of my passion for English. I used to stare at it while I had no knowledge of English. Now I search through its 800+ pages almost daily. Its my old timer friend.
| | | | Americano
Serbia
Local time: 01:10
English to Serbian
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I'm not quite sure, but I remember I was really young.
I think I still have it somewhere.
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A beautiful pocket size German-Spanish Spanish -German dictionary as I attended a catholic German school (it was run by catholic nuns who taught us to bow when greeting someone... my kids laugh nowdays when I still do it.....) I was taught German by "Schwesters" who besides German taught us the horrors of war as many of them lived and suffered during WWII.
Memories came back by your question, thank you
H... See more A beautiful pocket size German-Spanish Spanish -German dictionary as I attended a catholic German school (it was run by catholic nuns who taught us to bow when greeting someone... my kids laugh nowdays when I still do it.....) I was taught German by "Schwesters" who besides German taught us the horrors of war as many of them lived and suffered during WWII.
Memories came back by your question, thank you
Have a nice weekend,
Rocío ▲ Collapse
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I asked for a German-Italian dictionary for my birthday.
My mum was a bit surprised, but she understood that I really wanted it.
At the beginning passion is stronger than ever
| | | | | Old but still useful | Oct 23, 2010 |
I have my first French/English dictionary right here on my desk: it's a Cassell's hardcover (did not own any paperback bilingual dictionary previous to this first one). I received it as a Christmas present from my mother and father in 1971, my first year in college (U.S.). I loved it and still refer to it.
| | | | Evans (X)
Local time: 00:10
Spanish to English
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| talking of old but useful | Oct 23, 2010 |
I'm not sure what age I was when I acquired them, but I still have the two French to English hardcover Harraps dictionaries that I used when doing my French A level at school (part of a 4-volume set). They contain obscure words that have been left out of subsequent incarnations such as the Harraps Unabridged, which I myself worked on as a translator/editor many years later. Every so often I look in there for something I can't find anywhere else, and hey presto, there it is. In many ways out of d... See more I'm not sure what age I was when I acquired them, but I still have the two French to English hardcover Harraps dictionaries that I used when doing my French A level at school (part of a 4-volume set). They contain obscure words that have been left out of subsequent incarnations such as the Harraps Unabridged, which I myself worked on as a translator/editor many years later. Every so often I look in there for something I can't find anywhere else, and hey presto, there it is. In many ways out of date, there is still a mine of information in there. ▲ Collapse
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It was the beginning of second grade. My first French lessons.
My mom went searching in the attic for one of the dictionaries she used while she was studying French herself. It was the tiniest dictionary I had ever seen (it only contained entries up to P because the other part was torn and missing). However, French did not exactly grow on me. Fortunately, English did.
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Joan Berglund
United States
Local time: 19:10
Member (2008)
French to English
I started French in school at age 12, so I would have bought whatever little paperback dictionary was recommended. I did not end up keeping it. At some point as a child, I was also given a bunch of Japanese study materials including dictionaries and Kanji writing practice books. I think it was before I started French in school, when I was more like 8 or so, but I may be wrong. I did go on to take 3 years of Japanese in college, but I think I actually learned more and faster when I was a littl... See more I started French in school at age 12, so I would have bought whatever little paperback dictionary was recommended. I did not end up keeping it. At some point as a child, I was also given a bunch of Japanese study materials including dictionaries and Kanji writing practice books. I think it was before I started French in school, when I was more like 8 or so, but I may be wrong. I did go on to take 3 years of Japanese in college, but I think I actually learned more and faster when I was a little kid. ▲ Collapse
| | | | Jenn Mercer
United States
Local time: 19:10
Member (2009)
French to English
Nesrin wrote:
I lived in a house full of Arabic/English/German/French dictionaries, and even when I left for university I took my dad's Arabic-English dictionary with me! How mean is that?
The only combination missing was French-German which I needed for school, so at the age of 13 or so I got me a French German "Micro-Robert Poche".. [Edited at 2010-10-23 09:16 GMT]
I took my Dad's Concise Oxford Dictionary (English only) to college with me. It was a perfectly sized hardback with a soft spine. Alas, I did eventually need to give it up, but not before I found the best modern equivalent of that edition. It is not in hardback, but it is smaller than the unabridged and larger than most household dictionaries.
My first bilingual dictionary would have been a Spanish-English dictionary. I don't remember exactly when I got it, but it would have been sometime in elementary school.
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