Directory of other dictionaries for dictionary.app

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Level 1

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Directory of other dictionaries for dictionary.app

I want to get a Spanish dictionary for my Dictionary.app, so that when I three-finger-double-tap a word in Spanish, I get the definition and/or the translation of it. I've changed my Mac to Spanish to help me learn, but without this I am sinking.

I find it preposterous that Apple's solution to this is to make me scavenge the internetz for '.dict' files. There must be a directory of other dictionaries I can add to Dictionary.app somewhere, right? (Though I also find it preposterous that this directory isn't built into Dictionary.app itself!)

If you know where such a listing is, I would much appreciate it. I would, however, settle for a .dict file of a Spanish dictionary, or even a Spanish-English dictionary (though I'd rather stay more immersed than that).

Thanks.

Dictionary-OTHER, Mac OS X (10.7.3)

Posted on May 8, 2012 5:37 AM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Tom Gewecke

Level 10

115,830 points

May 8, 2012 6:08 AM in response to Chadoh

See if this note helps:

http://m10lmac.blogspot.com/2011/12/more-dictionaries-for-dictionaryapp.html

To tell Apple what needs improvement, best use the feedback channel (here you are just talking to other users like yourself):

http://www.apple.com/feedback/macosx.html

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Answer 2

etresoft

Level 8

46,068 points

May 8, 2012 6:44 AM in response to Chadoh

As far as I know, there isn't a decent Spanish dictionary. Apple didn't include any DRM in their Dictionary Development Kit so no one who owns any dictionary data (such as the La Real Academia Española) wants to give it away. There are lots of StarDict dictionaries but many of those are copyright violations. StarDict is a junk format with junk software. I regularly get requests to convert them into proper Dictionary format but I'm staying far away from StarDict.

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Answer 3

Chadoh Author

Level 1

0 points

May 8, 2012 7:15 AM in response to etresoft

Sigh. Oh, world. I would buy a dictionary from La Real Academia Española, even without DRM. By not even providing one, they are somewhat forcing us into the back alleys of (gasp!) copying. It's true, if people had them without DRM, some people will copy them. But they're fools to think that more people wouldn't prefer to pay them a small amount for it.

Good info, etresoft. Thanks.

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Answer 4

etresoft

Level 8

46,068 points

May 8, 2012 1:32 PM in response to Chadoh

They do provide a dictionary, or at least they used to: http://buscon.rae.es/draeI/

I have no idea how well or even if it still works.

I think it would be a cool idea to build dictionaries from Wiktionary. According to their license, that could be legally done. But because Apple doesn't provide a way to sell the output, there is very little incentive to do it. I would do it if I had spare time. But I have little of that and if I have to choose between some app ideas that might be profitable and a dictionary that wouldn't, then the dictionary will just have to wait - another year at least.

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