Frequently Asked Questions
Dictionaries
Are dictionaries always in alphabetical order? |
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Not all languages have alphabets: some, such as Chinese, use logograms (characters),
and others use syllables as their basic units—for example Japanese (in one of
its systems). But for the languages that do have alphabets, in the modern age
dictionaries tend to be in alphabetical order—partly because that’s what we
mean by a 'dictionary': if it were arranged by subject, we’d probably call it
a 'thesaurus'.
In seventeenth-century English dictionaries things were more haphazard, with
words alphabetized by first letter only. This can be found into the twentieth
century in some glossaries. But for most dictionaries we can safely assume the
answer is ‘yes’.
Other questions in this section: What is a dictionary?
What are people referring to when they talk about the 'Oxford Dictionary'?
Are dictionaries always in alphabetical order?
Are dictionaries really necessary?
Are lexicographers good spellers?
Are other languages besides English recorded in huge multi-volume dictionaries?
Do dictionary-makers ever make mistakes?
Do you include words used on the Internet?
How can I access OED Online?
How do you decide if a new word should go in an Oxford dictionary?
How do you decide what to include in a dictionary?
How do you know what a word means?
How has computer technology affected dictionary-making?
How have dictionaries changed over the years?
How will a dictionary look in 2050?
How will revision affect the size of the OED?
Is there an official committee which regulates the English language?
What skills and talents does a lexicographer need?
When will the Third Edition of the OED be published?
Will you put the word I have invented into the dictionary?
If, after browsing the FAQs, you still can't find the answer to your question then submit your query to the AskOxford Language Query team.
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