English-Chinese Dictionary (Volume 2) Fine

Author: Editorial Department of the Great British-Chinese Dictionary
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1991-09-01
Features: The Great British-Chinese Dictionary has dozens of versions, but the versions published by Commercial Press and Shanghai Translation Press are undoubtedly authoritative and an essential reference for every student. Over a hundred scholars have participated in its creation, and after years of arduous work, the Great British-Chinese Dictionary is the largest bilingual English-Chinese dictionary included in the 1975 National Plan for the Compilation and Publication of Bilingual Language Dictionaries in China, and also one of the key projects under the National Philosophy and Social Sciences "Seventh Five-Year Plan" (1986-1990). It contains 200,000 entries, 14 appendices, and approximately 20 million words.
The Great British-Chinese Dictionary adheres to the principle of independent compilation (rather than translation compilation) as its guiding philosophy. It has built an original reference corpus, drawing on the strengths of over 100 English dictionaries from Britain and the U.S., as well as other reference books (see its main reference), and selectively utilizes the cultural heritage accumulated by previous generations, reflecting the achievements and standards of English corpus construction and academic research in China.
Following the international trend of objective description in lexicography since the 1960s, the Great British-Chinese Dictionary emphasizes objective description in its word selection, definitions, examples, and etymological explanations, focusing on the actual usage of various types of English in different styles and contexts. It faithfully records the evolution of word meanings and forms over time, avoiding biased judgments or subjective evaluations.
In addition to lexical entries, the Great British-Chinese Dictionary pays attention to including names of people, places, and organizations, as well as historical events, myths and legends, religious schools, cultural communities, customs, entertainment genres, technical fields, product trademarks, and specialized terms in natural and social sciences. It strives to incorporate as much encyclopedic information as possible, ensuring both practicality across various levels and the stability and appeal of its content, so that changes in personnel and circumstances do not affect the effective lifespan of the dictionary and that its lively and engaging nature does not stifle readers' curiosity and desire to seek knowledge.
In short, our goal is academic rigor, practicality, knowledge, stability, and (engagingness).
The Great British-Chinese Dictionary was compiled with the sincere collaboration of scholars from multiple universities and cultural institutions, including Fudan University, Shanghai International Studies University, Shanghai Translation Press, Shanghai Normal University, East China Normal University, East China Institute of Chemical Technology, Tongji University, and Shanghai Education Institute. We fully recognize that the compilation of bilingual dictionaries is an important cornerstone of cultural development, reflecting China's cultural strength on one side, and we can in no way afford to be negligent or perfunctory.
We also understand the objective laws of lexicography: the 12-volume Oxford English Dictionary took over 70 years from its design to completion, and even in the computer era, its supplements took another 29 years to finish. Meanwhile, the Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition (20 volumes), compiled by scholars from the UK, the U.S., and Canada with the help of computers, was only released in Spring 1989, 61 years after the first edition was completed.
In the U.S., Noah Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language (1828) took over a century and a half to produce only three editions. These examples demonstrate that independent compilation, after extensively gathering and integrating various sources, is bound to be complex, require significant intellectual investment, and span long periods—no shortcut exists.
With this understanding, we can only be diligent, meticulous, hardworking, and refine our efforts, dedicating ourselves to the meticulous work of lexicography for years on end, striving to exchange the conscience and dedication of scholars for lasting cultural benefits.