The Dictionary – A Timeless Tool for Effective Communication

By Earl Hunsinger

The German poet and novelist Hermann Hesse once said that, "Without words, without writing and without books there would be no history, there could be no concept of humanity." Language is the thread that stitches together communities, nations, and the world. It is the mortar that binds past, present, and future generations into a single human society.

And words have power. As Rudyard Kipling said, "Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind." It’s important then that we choose our words carefully, with full awareness of the nuances of meaning conveyed by these choices.

What if we don’t understand what a word means? Some today seem to have adopted the philosophy humorously described by Lewis Carroll in Through the Looking-Glass. "’When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone. "It means just what I choose it to mean – neither more or less.’ ‘The question is,’ said Alice, ‘whether you can make words mean so many different things.’ ‘The question is,’ said Humpty Dumpty, ‘which is to be master – that’s all.’"

If we purposely, or inadvertently, misuse a word, ignoring its meaning, we become like Humpty Dumpty. While language, any language, is a living, growing thing, not following some standard of meaning and usage can become as confusing as not agreeing on the standard for a mile, or an hour, or a pound. The standard for words and their meanings is the dictionary, which dates back more than 2,000 years. In fact, the word "dictionary" comes from the neoclassical Latin word dictio, which simply means "word."

A basic dictionary contains a list of words in alphabetical order, along with the definition or definitions of each word. Most dictionaries also provide a pronunciation guide and information about the derivation, or etymology, of the word. There are now numerous online dictionaries available, such as Merriam-Webster, which is one of the best. Along with the same features as a standard dictionary, many of these have a few added benefits, such as an audio pronunciation feature, which allows you to hear how a word is pronounced.

The website YourDictionary is another helpful online resource. Here you can look up a word in an online version of the American Heritage Dictionary. In addition to this English language dictionary, the site provides dictionaries and reference works in dozens of other languages. There are also links to multilingual dictionaries and translation resources. Since any given trade or professional field has its own terminology, links to technical dictionaries are available for specialties ranging from accounting to wine. There are even dictionaries, or at lease lists, available for antonyms, synonyms, homophones, rhyming words, abbreviations, acronyms, and miscellaneous other ways of categorizing the words that we use.

In today’s fast paced world, the spoken word is increasingly becoming the medium of choice for communication. As a result, while the dictionary continues to fulfill its role of helping us understand what we are reading and assisting us in selecting the word with just the right connotation when we are writing, more is required for effective communication. Rather than being content with the ability to look up any new word we come across, we must have within our immediate grasp those words most often used and most effective in verbal communication. Online dictionaries can also assist us in this endeavor. Many include word games and other aids that can help us to expand our vocabulary.

Words are important. The difference between using them and using them correctly is the difference between making noise and making music.