Finnish-English-Finnish Dictionary Recommendation (repost)

[jrslv]

Hi all,

I am learning Finnish and looking for a good dictionary or maybe a couple. Since I'm far away from Finland, I can't just walk in the book store and flip through the pages. There are some Finnish dictionaries on the Amazon, but there are no descriptions of what's inside, so I am looking for an advice. A "good dictionary" for me means high-quality paper and high-quality print with well spaced and readable font (dictionaries are a passion of mine - I have tonnes of them).

Also, it is important for me that the dictionary entries read like articles, i.e. every word is explained with lots of examples, in which the word is spelled out several times i.e. without these '~', because with each time your eye sees the word spelled out, it's imprinted in your brain more and more.

Finnish-English-Finnish Dictionary

I posted a similar question in another section of this forum and somebody recommended to me two dictionaries:

WSOY, which I believe is this: http://www.amazon.com/Englanti-Suomi-Su ... dictionary, and this: http://www.amazon.com/Suomi-englanti-su ... s+Robinson

But this is only the first step...

Finnish-Finnish Dictionary

From my experience, the best results are attained from using the dictionaries, in which words are explained in the same language, which you should start using as soon as possible. Because, every time you look up a word you see it in a context, you see other words that interest you etc. Every time you read the same word you make it stick in your brain more and more (that's why I don't like when they replace parts of the word with '~' - it saves on space, but doesn't help to train the brain).

This is the dictionary that I used learn English: http://www.amazon.com/Collins-COBUILD-A ... Dictionary

It explains English words in plain English. It give examples of usage in different contexts. Sometimes I would simply open it at a random page and start reading - just for fun.

Is there anything resembling it for the Finnish language? Perhaps a dictionary for teens?

Thanks,
JO

[kalmisto]

You did not ask for this but I can not resist the tempation to give it to you :
http://www2.lingsoft.fi/cgi-bin/fintwol

It is a morphological analyser of Finnish. It gives you the basic from a Finnish word ( any word - noun, verb, whatever ! ) that you see in a written text. It is very useful. You can of course not buy this in a book store.

[Jukka Aho]

From my experience, the best results are attained from using the dictionaries, in which words are explained in the same language, which you should start using as soon as possible. [...] Is there anything resembling it for the Finnish language? Perhaps a dictionary for teens?

• Kielitoimiston sanakirja (aka The New Dictionary of Modern Finnish)
• The digital edition of the above (available both as a subscription-based online service and a locally-installable software package)
• Nykysuomen sanakirja (aka The Dictionary of Modern/Contemporary Finnish). Despite the name, this multi-volume dictionary was last updated in 1961 and reflects older usage and vocabulary. Nonetheless, it is still considered a useful reference as it includes somewhat more comprehensive explanations of the older words.

Unlike in the English-speaking world, there’s no real culture of using (or perceiving the need for) monolingual Finnish-Finnish dictionaries, among the natives. Ordinary Finnish speakers are hardly aware of the existence of such things for their language! The dictionaries mentioned above are mostly used by those who, by profession or personal interest, have a “thing” for the language.

[tuulen]

WSOY offers the best English/Finnish and Finnish/English translating dictionaries available, as published in two separate volumes. But you will not get all of what you are looking for, as of your expectations in your first post on this thread. You will get basic coverage of the Finnish language, minus any grammar, but you will not get all of the details you apparently could wish for.

However, as far as translating dictionaries go, I strongly recommend the WSOY publications.

Where to find them: Stockmann Academic Bookstore; https://akateeminen.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... m-akasales

[jrslv]

However, as far as translating dictionaries go, I strongly recommend the WSOY publications.

Where to find them: Stockmann Academic Bookstore; https://akateeminen.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... m-akasales

I couldn't find any WSOY dictionaries in the link above, only what seems to be gummerus: https://akateeminen.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... reId=10201 and https://akateeminen.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... reId=10201.

Searching on Amazon produced this: http://www.amazon.com/Englanti-Suomi-Su ... dictionary - is this the WSOY that that is supposed to be the best?

[tuulen]

Where to find them: Stockmann Academic Bookstore; https://akateeminen.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... m-akasales

I couldn't find any WSOY dictionaries in the link above.

Yes, those WSOY translating dictionaries are probably not listed on the Stockmann Akateeminen Kirjakauppa (Academic Bookstore) website, but Stockmann is the best international source as for where to find those publications, along with many others, too, and so I suggest that you contact Stockmann and tell them what you are looking for. Stockmann really is the most readily available international source of Finnish publications.

[mt1]

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