A bilingualised English dictionary for Catalan speakers

Abstract

In view of the benefits of both monolingual and bilingual dictionaries, a new type of dictionary which combines the strong points of a monolingual learner's dictionary with those of a bilingual dictionary was designed and introduced into some Catalan primary and secondary schools: the Easy English Dictionary with a Catalan-English Vocabulary. This article looks in detail at this new kind of dictionary: its philosophy, the way it functions, its advantages over other kinds of dictionaries and the fact that the monolingual part is specifically aimed at Catalan learners of English. Additionally, the article deals with the pedagogical functions of illustrations as well as the adequacy of the dictionary to the lexical needs and requirements of Catalan learners of English in primary and secondary education.