Due to the great work of other forum members (see http://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=194986) it is now possible to create your own dictionaries for the Kobo Glo and Touch, for firmware 2.1.4 or later. Why do this? Well, the dictionaries provided by Kobo are a bit limited, and it is fun anyway to see what can be done. :bookworm:
Here is my conversion of the public domain Chamber's Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language, from Project Gutenberg. This was published in 1908 in London, and has over 33,000 definitions; it is particularly good for British English and historical fiction, as it contains archaic words that are not in the more modern English dictionary supplied with the Kobo. But don't go looking up "twitter" or "facebook"!
I am also working on converting a longer public domain dictionary, which I hope to have ready very soon.
To use the new dictionary:
It is possible to install the new dictionary to replace one of the other built-in Kobo dictionaries, by replacing the appropriate file with the custom dictionary, e.g., dicthtml-de.zip to replace the Deutsch dictionary. That way you can swop between the Kobo English dictionary and the custom English dictionary.
One minor point: when you view a definition in the custom dictionary the page will still display "Source: Merriam-Webster's English Dictionary" (which is the Kobo dictionary). This description is not actually part of the dictionary file but seems to be held elsewhere in the firmware. You can tell that you are in fact using the custom dictionary because its word definitions usually have an initial upper case letter, whereas in the Kobo Merriam-Webster dictionary they generally start with a lower case letter.
Project Gutenberg notice:
Chamber's Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language
Here is my conversion of the public domain Chamber's Twentieth Century Dictionary of the English Language, from Project Gutenberg. This was published in 1908 in London, and has over 33,000 definitions; it is particularly good for British English and historical fiction, as it contains archaic words that are not in the more modern English dictionary supplied with the Kobo. But don't go looking up "twitter" or "facebook"!
I am also working on converting a longer public domain dictionary, which I hope to have ready very soon.
To use the new dictionary:
- Connect your Kobo to your PC.
- On the Kobo go to the ".kobo\dict" folder, and rename "dicthtml.zip" to "dicthtml.backup.zip". This backs up your existing English dictionary (which I assume you already have installed).
- Download and copy the dicthtml.zip file below to the ".kobo\dict" folder.
- Eject/disconnect your Kobo.
- Go into the dictionary screen, e.g., if you have a book open, tap the book icon on the bottom menu, and select Definition.
- Flip the language from English to e.g., Deutsch and back again. This makes the Kobo refresh the English dictionary cache. You have to do this once.
- The new dictionary is now ready to use.
It is possible to install the new dictionary to replace one of the other built-in Kobo dictionaries, by replacing the appropriate file with the custom dictionary, e.g., dicthtml-de.zip to replace the Deutsch dictionary. That way you can swop between the Kobo English dictionary and the custom English dictionary.
One minor point: when you view a definition in the custom dictionary the page will still display "Source: Merriam-Webster's English Dictionary" (which is the Kobo dictionary). This description is not actually part of the dictionary file but seems to be held elsewhere in the firmware. You can tell that you are in fact using the custom dictionary because its word definitions usually have an initial upper case letter, whereas in the Kobo Merriam-Webster dictionary they generally start with a lower case letter.
Project Gutenberg notice:
Quote:
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This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net. |