Dictionaries, in print form, are still thriving in Bangalore

Dictionaries are here to stay and for long. Even though the technologically suave youth of today have various means at their disposal to find out what a word means or how it has evolved, dictionaries still fly off their shelves, claim bookstores in Bangalore, begging to differ with the Oxford University Press which has said that it may not bring out its dictionary in print form as the online version is turning out to be largely popular.

Deepak Shah, director of Sapna Book House, says there is an ever increasing demand for dictionaries, especially the branded ones. “In India, people still want a printed version. Considering the fact that only 1% of the population has access to internet facilities, the market for dictionaries in South East Asia is high.”

He cites the example of the Mysore University Dictionary that has been digitised in a single CD-ROM. “I sell one CD version for every 50 copies of the printed dictionary,” he explains.

Prakash Gangaram, of Gangarams Book Bureau, agrees. “At least for the next five to ten years, the printed version will thrive.

In the West, people may use the internet more, however in India, people appreciate a book in its physical form,” he says.

However KKS Murthy, an old-timer who sells antique and out-of-print books at  Select Book Shop on Brigade Road, says, “The other day, I had gone to buy some books and I was told that I could buy dictionaries by weight. I was shocked. Later I was told by an IT professional that printed dictionaries are of no use since, all information is available online,”

“The older generation still prefers to refer to the traditional dictionary, whereas youngsters these days are used to getting all the information they want at the click of a button,” he adds. Dixita BS, a PR professional, agrees that the online way of referring to meanings is quick and efficient. “When information is digitised, it allows for easy access and we’re also saving on resources like paper,” she says.

Eminent educationist LS Seshagiri Rao, who has worked extensively on an English-English-Kannada dictionary and the history of English literature, explains, “I am very disappointed that Oxford is likely to go online. It is only with an actual physical copy of a dictionary that one can improve his or her vocabulary and language. The Thesaurus along with the dictionary helps one make linguistic progress.”

When in the printed form, individuals are prompted to move from one word to another, which doesn’t happen online, he adds.