Google Dictionary: A Critical Review

Musa Nushi, Afshin Moradi

Abstract


In an increasingly digital world, online educational resources, apps and other technologies can serve as incredibly effective tools to facilitate both teaching and learning. One such online tool is the Google Dictionary. The dictionary, an online service of Google, is probably one of the simplest dictionaries for English learners. The definitions usually use simple words and therefore are easy to understand. In addition to the definitions, examples, pictures, and usage notes there is a separate pronunciation entry with interesting characteristics. This newly added entry provides users with pronunciation of a word in two different accents, visemes, slow playback and an option that lets Google to have feedback from the users. This review paper offers a descriptive account of the entry, along with critical evaluation including its strong points and limitations. The review concludes with some suggestions to improve the educational quality of the pronunciation entry.

DOI:10.2458/azu_itlt_v8i1_nushi


Keywords


Google dictionary; pronunciation; second language; technology

Full Text:

PDF HTML

References


Bakia, M. (2010). Internet-based education. International encyclopedia of education (pp. 102-108). Brighton: Elsevier Science.

Boonmoh, A. (2010). Teachers’ use and knowledge of electronic dictionaries. ABAC journal, 30(5), 56-74.

Boulton, A., & De Cock, S. (2017). Dictionaries as aids for language learning. In P. Hanks & G. M. de Schryver (Eds.), International Handbook of Modern Lexis and Lexicography (pp. 1–17). Berlin: Springer.

Bresnahan, M. J., Ohashi, R., Nebashi, R., Liu, W. Y., & Morinaga Shearman, S. (2002). Attitudinal and affective response toward accented English. Language & Communication, 22(2), 171–185.

Burstein, J., Frase, L., Ginther, A., & Grant, L. (1996). Technologies for language assessment. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 16, 240-260.

Celce-Murcia, M., Brinton, D. M., & Goodwin, J., M., & Griner, B. (2010). Teaching pronunciation: A Course book and reference guide. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Chapelle, C. A. (2003). English language learning and technology. Philadelphia: John Benjamins Publishing Company.

Chapelle, C. A., & Sauro, S. (Eds.) (2017). The handbook of technology and second language teaching and learning. Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.

Chapelle C. A., & Voss, E. (2017). Utilizing technology in language assessment. In E. Shohamy, E., Or, I. & S. May (Eds.), Language testing and assessment. Encyclopedia of Language and Education (3rd ed.). Cham, Switzerland: Springer.

Chen, Y. (2012). Dictionary use and vocabulary learning in the context of reading. International Journal of Lexicography, 35(2), 216–247.

Chen, Y. (2017). Dictionary use for collocation production and retention: A CALL-based study. International Journal of Lexicography, 30(2), 225–251.

Crystal, D. (2008). Two thousand million? English Today, 24(1), 3-6.

Derwing, T. M., & Munro, M. J. (2009). Putting accent in its place: Rethinking obstacles to communication. Language Teaching, 42(4), 476–490.

Dogruer, N., Eyyam, R., & Menevis, I. (2011). The use of the internet for educational purposes. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 28, 606–611.

Esterle, A., Ranck, H., & Schmitt, B. (2005). Information security: A new challenge for the EU. Vol. 76. Paris: Institute for Security Studies.

Fraser, H. (1997). Dictionary pronunciation guides for English. International Journal of Lexicography, 10(3), 181–208.

Gernsbacher, M. A. (2014). Why Internet-based education? Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 1-4.

Gu, C. (2010). Internet-supported creative learning: The application of network in learning. In proceedings of the International Conference on E-Product E-Service and E-Entertainment (pp. 1-3), Henan, China.

Godwin-Jones, R. (2011). Emerging technologies: Autonomous language learning. Language Learning & Technology, 15(3), 4-11.

Hamdan, J. M., & Al-Hawamdeh, R. F. (2018). The effects of ‘Face’ on listening comprehension: Evidence from advanced Jordanian speakers of English. Journal of Psycholinguistic Research, 47(5), 1121–1131. doi: 10.1007/s10936-018-9582-7

House, J. (2012). Teaching oral skills in English as a lingua franca. In L. Alsagoff, L. S. McKay, G. Hu, & W. A. Renandra (Eds.), Principles and practices for teaching English as an international language (pp. 186-205). New York: Routledge.

Hulstijn, J. H., Holander, M., & Greidenus, T. (1996). Incidental vocabulary learning by advanced foreign language students: The influence of marginal glosses, dictionary use, and reoccurrence of unknown words. The Modern Language Journal, 80(3), 327-339. doi:10.1111/j.1540-4781.1996.tb01614.x

Issac, J.H., & Jamil, H. (2011). Factors affecting pre-service TESOL teachers’ attitudes towards using CD-ROM dictionary. Higher Education Studies, 1(2), 129-141.

Jarosz. A. (2019). English ronunciation in L2 instruction: The case of secondary school learners. Cham, Switzerland: Springer International Publishing.

Jenkins, J. (1998). Which pronunciation norms and models for English as an international language? ELT Journal, 52(2), 119–126. http://doi.org/10.1093/elt/52.2.119

Jin, L., & Deifell, E. (2013). Foreign language learners’ use and perception of online dictionaries: A survey study. MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 9(4), 515–533.

Kachru, B. B. (1997). World Englishes and English-using communities. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 17, 66-87.

Lan, L. (2005). The growing prosperity of online dictionaries. English Today, 21(3), 16–21. doi:10.1017/S0266078405003044

Laufer, B. (2011). The contribution of dictionary use to the production and retention of collocations in a second language. International Journal of Lexicography, 24(1), 29–49.

McKay, L., Hu, G., & Renandya W. A. (Eds.), Principles and practices for teaching English as an International Language. Bristol: Routledge.

Levis, J. M., & Zhou, Z. (2018). Accent. In the TESOL encyclopedia of English language teaching (pp.1–5). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118784235.eelt0002

Levy, M. (2009). Technologies in use for second language learning. Modern Language Journal, 93, 769–782.

Levy, M. & C. Steel. (2015). Language learner perspectives on the functionality and use of electronic language dictionaries. ReCALL, 27(2), 177–196.

Lew, R. (2016). Can a dictionary help you write better? A user study of an active bilingual dictionary for Polish learners of English. International Journal of Lexicography, 29(3), 353–366.

Lew, R. (2016). Dictionaries for learners of English. Language Teaching, 49(2), 291–294.

Lew, R., & Szarowska, A. (2017). Evaluating online bilingual dictionaries: The case of popular free English-Polish dictionaries. ReCALL, 29(2), 138–159.

Munro, M. J., & Derwing, T. M. (1995). Foreign accent, comprehensibility, and intelligibility in the speech of second language learners. Language Learning, 45(1), 73–97. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-1770.1995.tb00963.x

Munro, M. J., Derwing, T. M., & Morton, S. L. (2006). The mutual intelligibility of L2 speech. Studies in Second Language Acquisition, 28(1), 111–131. http://doi.org/10.1017/S0272263106060049

Nushi, M., & Eqbali, M. (2018). Babbel: A mobile language learning app. The TESL Reporter, 51(1), 109–121.

Nurmukhamedov, U. (2011). Review of the dictionary Macmillan Collocations. Dictionary for Learners of English. ELT Journal, 65, 96-99.

Nushi, M., & Eqbali, M. (2018). Languages: A mobile language learning application. Teaching English with Technology, 18(1), 93-104.

Renandya, W. A., & Farrell, T. S. C. (2011). ‘Teacher, the tape is too fast!’ Extensive listening in ELT. ELT Journal, 65(1), 52–59.

Renandya, W. A., & Hu, G. W. (2018). L2 listening in China: An examination of current practice. In A. Burns & J. Siegel (Eds.), International perspectives on teaching the four skills in ELT: Listening, speaking, reading, writing (pp. 37–50). Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave MacMillan.

Schwartz, J., Berthommier, F., & Savariaux, C. (2004). Seeing to hear better: Evidence for early audiovisual interactions in speech identiï¬cation. Cognition, 93(2), 69–78.

Rizo-Rodríguez, A. (2008). Review of five English learners’ dictionaries on CD-ROM. Language Learning & Technology, 12(1), 23–42.

Seargeant, P. (2012). English and linguistic flobalization. In P. Seargeant and J. Swann (Eds.). English in the World: History, Diversity, Change (pp. 178–187). Abingdon: Routledge.

Seidlhofer, B. (2003). A concept of international english and related issues: from “real English†to “realistic English� Retrieved from http://www.serwis.wsjo.pl/lektor/1783/R21%20Seidlhofer%20International%20English.pdf

Selwyn, N. (2014). The Internet and education. In Chairman’s Advisory, BBVA (Eds.), 19 Key Essays on how Internet changing our lives (pp. 191–217). OpenMind, BBVA. Retrieved from https://www.bbvaopenmind.com/en/article/the-internet-and-education/?fullscreen=true

Sharma, P., Maleyeff, J. (2003). Internet education: Potential problems and solutions. International Journal of Educational Management, 17(1), 19-25. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513540310456365

Smith, B. (2017). Technology-enhanced SLA research. In C. Chapelle & S. Sauro (Eds.), The handbook of technology in second language teaching and learning (pp. 444–458). Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.

Szynalski, P. T. (2009). Review of the Cambridge English pronouncing dictionary (17th edition). Retrieved from http://www.antimoon.com/how/cepd-review.htm