English Spanish dictionaries come in all shapes, sizes, specialties, and mediums. There are paperback dictionaries, medical dictionaries, desktop dictionaries, electronic dictionaries, good dictionaries, and bad dictionaries. All
options can be confusing for anybody deciding on how best to start (or improve) their Spanish translation resource library.
The most important thing to remember is that individual needs will (and very rightly should) vary. People who love Spanish translation (and English Spanish dictionaries) are a unique breed.
(It's what makes us special!)
What works for you or your buddy down street or on other side of information highway might not work for you.
However, there are a list of guidelines that I like to follow when deciding how to spend my money on English Spanish dictionaries. I think this checklist can also help you.
1. Don't trust Internet. Just because it's on Internet, doesn't mean it's true. This is a warning call to be careful when doing research online for translations of specific words.
Due to nature of web, anyone can claim they know everything about Arctic ice fishing and how to translate every related word in both Spanish and English. Don't make your translation final until you've verified your sources and feel good about them.
2. Determine your needs. There are so many choices to choose from when deciding what to get. Narrow down what kind of work you'll be doing.
Are you interested in translating for medical field? You'll need to invest in medical dictionaries.
Want a good generalized dictionary? Don't spend your time looking at specialized ones.
I always end up spending more on resources I don't need when I haven't determined what exactly I want. It's kind of like going to grocery store when you're hungry. Not very good on bank account.
3. Determine format. Are you looking for just Spanish English translation equivalents or do you want definitions included?
