Hi, I've been attempting to pull the trigger and purchase various Pleco upgrades and dictionaries for over the past 6 months now, but keep not committing due to confusion over what dictionaries are good for what. (All the rumors of this mythical vaporware-like beast know as "Pleco 2.3" don't help things either.).
I am a beginner student studying Chinese in Taiwan and I think my requirements are pretty simple, a generic C-C and C-E dictionary. I feel that E-C is probably mostly unnecessary for now, but the bundles more or less force a E-C dictionary on you so I'm stuck buying one. I want the C-C as my main dictionary, and to use the C-E for understanding the C-C and trivial words. (as in I probably don't really need to read the Chinese definition for 蘋果).
Anyway, I can't decide what I want for what, looking over the demo dictionaries doesn't help much either. Can someone give some detailed information about what the pros and cons of each dictionary are? And who are the dictionaries aimed at?
[EDIT] Also more specific questions:
- Whats missing in the "21st Century E-C Dict" that the "ABC E-C Dict" was also included in the Professional bundle?
- What does "Pocket Oxford" offer over Pleco's free dictionary? (It looks mostly the same apart from if a words is a noun, verb, etc..)
- Are any of these dictionaries better for Taiwan use?
- At a first glance "Longman" seems harder but with more detailed that "Guifan", how is it for actual use? Better worse for learning?
- How useful would "Tuttle" be if I am using C-C for detail? (*also are some of its definitions weird? I found "巴 noun = cheek (see 尾巴)" which does not coincide with any other dictionary).
- Which C-E dictionary has the most detail?
- How will the upcoming dictionaries effect things? (Tuttle, the new E-C/C-E dictionaries, etc..).
- [EDIT 2] Just saw ACE on the site, but can't find it in the app. Is the ACE dictionary no more? or just not available on ios?
I am a beginner student studying Chinese in Taiwan and I think my requirements are pretty simple, a generic C-C and C-E dictionary. I feel that E-C is probably mostly unnecessary for now, but the bundles more or less force a E-C dictionary on you so I'm stuck buying one. I want the C-C as my main dictionary, and to use the C-E for understanding the C-C and trivial words. (as in I probably don't really need to read the Chinese definition for 蘋果).
Anyway, I can't decide what I want for what, looking over the demo dictionaries doesn't help much either. Can someone give some detailed information about what the pros and cons of each dictionary are? And who are the dictionaries aimed at?
[EDIT] Also more specific questions:
- Whats missing in the "21st Century E-C Dict" that the "ABC E-C Dict" was also included in the Professional bundle?
- What does "Pocket Oxford" offer over Pleco's free dictionary? (It looks mostly the same apart from if a words is a noun, verb, etc..)
- Are any of these dictionaries better for Taiwan use?
- At a first glance "Longman" seems harder but with more detailed that "Guifan", how is it for actual use? Better worse for learning?
- How useful would "Tuttle" be if I am using C-C for detail? (*also are some of its definitions weird? I found "巴 noun = cheek (see 尾巴)" which does not coincide with any other dictionary).
- Which C-E dictionary has the most detail?
- How will the upcoming dictionaries effect things? (Tuttle, the new E-C/C-E dictionaries, etc..).
- [EDIT 2] Just saw ACE on the site, but can't find it in the app. Is the ACE dictionary no more? or just not available on ios?