Several months ago I started making my own Personal Dictionary as a way to
- Learn new words
- Capture words and phrases that I like
- Develop an understanding of where these words come from
I’ve shared some ideas below in case you’d like to make your own. In any language!
ChatGPT Explains What It is
A “personal dictionary” is a collection of words that an individual creates to track new vocabulary they are learning, often including definitions, context clues, and sometimes even visual aids, essentially acting as a personalized reference point for words they find challenging or want to remember better; it can be a notebook, digital document, or even a section within a larger journal.
ChatGPT Explains Why Have One
A personal dictionary allows you to create a customized reference point for words that are particularly relevant to you, including those you frequently use, find challenging, or are specific to your field, which helps with improved vocabulary, accurate spelling, and deeper understanding of language by actively recording and reviewing the words you need most.
Key benefits of a personal dictionary:
Improves writing and communication: By being aware of the precise meanings and nuances of words you frequently use, you can elevate the quality of your written and spoken communication
Focused learning: You can specifically target words that are important for your work, studies, or personal interests, rather than relying on a general dictionary.
Memory retention: Actively writing down and defining words in your own personal dictionary can significantly improve your ability to remember them.
Personalized definitions: You can add your own interpretations or context-specific meanings to words, making them more relevant to your understanding.
Regular review: Having a dedicated space to track new vocabulary allows for easy revisiting and reinforcement of knowledge.
How I Use It
While reading, or listening to a podcast, if I encounter a word that I don’t recognize I’ll make a quick note for the page number (or time stamp) and what the word or phrase is. I try to do this as quickly as possible so as not to interrupt my concentration.
Once I’ve finished the section, chapter, or podcast I’ll then do a bit of research on each word. I often start with a google search in order to find a dictionary definition. These entries often give the figure of speech (noun, adjective, adverb, eg), one or more definitions, a pronunciation guide, and some examples of usage. I’ll summarize these in my notebook. I also like to understand where the word comes from, its etymology, so I’ll often note that too.
Finally, I highlight the entry so that I can easily see where each entry begins.
The Most Important Step is this. Make sure that you regularly review your entries! This repetition is important for learning. As a side benefit, you’ll be more attuned to recognizing these new words in the wild. As an example, since I noted the word EXEGESIS in my dictionary I’ve seen it used several times in several other places.
