Follow the instructions below to quickly get started using Talking Dictionary. Note that these instructions assume that you have already installed the dictionary. If this is not the case please refer to the installation section.
Looking Up Word Definitions:
- Use the start menu or desktop shortcut to start the Talking Dictionary. If the dictionary has been minimized to the system tray, use the key combination Control Alt and R to restore it.
- Type the word you want to look up and then press the “Enter” key. The dictionary will search for the word in its database. The dictionary will automatically speak out the first definition it finds for the word, along with the word type (i.e., noun, verb or etc).
- Press F7 and F5 to navigate forwards and backwards through the definitions found for the word you looked up. F6 can be used to repeat anything that has just been spoken.
- Tip: You can interrupt the dictionary at any time by pressing Control F2.
Reviewing Synonymous Words:
- Type the word you want to look up and then press the “Enter” key. The dictionary will automatically speak out the first definition it finds for the word.
- Press F4 to hear synonyms for this word. The first synonym will be spoken.
- Press F7 and F5 to navigate forwards and backwards through the synonyms found for the word you looked up. F6 can be used to repeat anything that has just been spoken.
- Tip: You can spell any synonym by pressing F8.
Tip: You can look any synonym up by pressing F12.
Browse Mode:
Talking Dictionary’s word list can be browsed like an electronic book.
- Type the first few letters of the word where you want to begin browsing.
- Press Control B to browse the dictionary.
- Use the arrow keys and page up / down keys to browse the dictionary entries.
- Press the spacebar to look up any browsed entry.
- Press Control Alt and B to resume browsing, or start again from step 1 to browse a new section of the database.
Crossword Mode: Talking Dictionary has an extremely powerful Crossword function that can find words with up to three letters missing. Follow the instructions below to use this function.
- Type the word you want to look up. Replace each letter that you are unsure of with an asterisk. Examples are: abs*ent, ab**ent, br**k, b**lder, b***lder and so on.
- Press the enter key. It will take a few seconds for Talking Dictionary to search through all the possible words.
- Press F7 and F5 to navigate forwards and backwards through the candidate words found. F6 can be used to repeat anything that has just been spoken.
Tip: You can spell any candidate by pressing F8. Tip: You can look any candidate up by pressing F12.
Speak and Spell Words:
Type the word you want the dictionary to speak and / or spell. Press F1 one time. The dictionary will pronounce the word you have typed in. Press F1 a second time to spell the word you have typed in. Tip: You can use Keyboard Echo to repeat the keys that you type in, as they are typed. Press F10 to toggle keyboard echo.
Summarizing Words:
Summarizing words provides a method of indicating how many synonyms and definitions were found for the word looked up. Alternatively, if the look up word is not found, the summary function will indicate the number of spell check alternatives found for the word.
- Type the word you want to look up and then press the “Enter” key. The dictionary will automatically speak out the first definition it finds for the word.
- Press F2 to find out how many definitions and synonymous words were found. If the word was not found in the dictionary database (for example, it may have been misspelt) then the summary key will indicate how many alternatives the spell checker found.
Using the Spell Checker:
- Type the word you want to look up and then press the “Enter” key. If the word you looked up is not found the dictionary will use a powerful checking algorithm to estimate the word you were trying to find. Numerous suggestions will be offered.
- F7 and F5 can be used in the normal manner to navigate forwards and backwards through these alternative suggestions. F6 will repeat any suggested word.
Tip: Press Control Alt C to copy the current spell check alternative to the clipboard. Tip: Press F8 to spell the current spell check alternative. Tip: Press F12 to look up the current spell check alternative.
Using the Spell Checked in Another Program:
Note that the Talking Dictionary must be running for this to work!
- Highlight the word you want to spell check.
- Press the key combination Control Alt S to spell check the word. Talking Dictionary will become active and will spell check the selected word. Definitions, synonyms and spell check alternatives will be indicated in the normal way.
Using the Clipboard:
- To look up a word stored in the clipboard press Control V to paste the word. Press the enter key to look the word up in the normal manner.
- To copy a synonym, word definition or spell checker alternative to the clipboard use the key combination Control Alt C.
Annotations: Its possible to associate notes and comments with words in the dictionary database.
- Look up the word that you want to annotate.
- Press Control A to enter annotation mode. Any existing annotations will be read out.
- Use the keyboard in the normal manner to type in new or revised annotations for this word.
- Press the tab key to exit annotation mode. Any annotations made or changed are automatically saved.
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