In the city of Linguapolis, the cries for help rise above the clamor. Dull Vocabulary, the infamous villain, looms over the citizens, clouding their speech with monotony and confusion. 

But fear not, for English Man, with his trusty sidekick Lexicon Lass, is here to illuminate the path to eloquence and empower the citizens with the ultimate weapon: the Monolingual English-English Dictionary!

“PING!”

"Jumping jargon, Lex, we've got another mission!" English Man exclaimed as his smartwatch alarm sounded with a new lesson request. English Man read the message—Kayoko, a student, seeks to boost her word power. A common request, indeed. Kayoko is a diligent student, armed with texts and the desire to learn.

In her lesson request, Kayoko asked, "English Man, how can I defeat Dull Vocabulary?" 

The Villain’s Tool: A Bilingual Dictionary

English Man explained, “Well Kayoko, the perilous path of reliance on bilingual dictionaries—is littered with pitfalls and illusions. Bilingual Dictionaries are easy to use and give students quick answers, it’s true. However, they serve as mere stepping stones that can lead you away from the true understanding, leaving your mind tied to translation. You need to untie yourself from working in your native tongue and think in English.” 

The Monolingual Dictionary: A Hero's Tool

Fear not! Lexicon Lass presents the Tool of wisdom: The COBUILD English Learner’s Dictionary.  With a flourish, Lexicon Lass conjures seven orbs of knowledge, each representing the benefits of using a monolingual (English-English) dictionary:

1. The Orb of Comprehension** deepens your understanding.

2. The Orb of Context** reveals the usage of words in their natural use.

3. The Orb of Vocabulary** broadens your vocabulary with synonyms and related terms.

4. The Orb of Cognition** Helps you to Think in English.

5. The Orb of Culture** imparts an understanding of phrases born from the heart of English-speaking realms, (real world examples)

6. The Orb of Real-world Readiness** prepares you for an authentic encounter with the language.

7. The Orb of Autonomy** emboldens you to journey through the language independently and confidently.

Kayoko nods her head. “Ok, English Man and Lexicon Lass, I understand why it’s important to use an English-English dictionary, but there are so many choices…Which dictionary do I choose?

The Chosen Lexicon: Collins COBUILD

With the city's lights flickering like stars of curiosity, English Man extols the virtues of the Collins COBUILD English Learner’s Dictionary—a beacon of clarity in the murky waters of language learning. Crafted from the vast Collins Corpus, this lexicon is a fortress of knowledge, its foundations rooted in the living, breathing language of the English-speaking world.

He explains, “Kayoko, COBUILD is our best weapon against Dull Vocab because 

Collins COBUILD Dictionary is based on the Collins Corpus, the world's largest database of the English language, with over 20 billion words. That means you get the most up-to-date information on language usage.”

“What’s a corpus?” she asked.

“A corpus is a large collection of written or spoken texts, usually digital, used for language research,” he responded. “The Collins COBUILD corpus was started in 1980 at Birmingham University. The COBUILD team collected written content from books, newspapers, magazines, and websites published around the world, and spoken material from radio, TV and even everyday conversations. New data is fed into the Corpus every month, to help the Collins dictionary editors identify new words and meanings from the moment they are first used.”

“Another feature is COBUILD’s real-life examples.” English Man continued. “One of COBUILD's most incredible features is its use of actual examples drawn directly from the corpus. These real-life sentences provide clarity on word usage in various contexts, which can be particularly helpful for EFL students.”

Lexicon Lass chimed in, “I like its clear definitions: COBUILD writes definitions using a controlled defining vocabulary, ensuring simplicity and ease of understanding. This is so helpful for intermediate learners who might get overwhelmed with complex definitions. I use it all the time to explain words to my students.”

“There are also grammar and usage notes: The dictionary provides specific notes on grammar and word usage, assisting learners in avoiding common mistakes.” 

“RIght on Lexi!” English Man exclaimed. “There are also varieties of English: COBUILD doesn't just focus on British or American English. It offers insights into how words are used in different English-speaking regions, enhancing cultural understanding.”

“And other dictionaries don’t do that?” Kayoko asked. 

“While many dictionaries provide definitions, COBUILD stands out because of its focus on real-life, contextual usage. Many dictionaries fail to offer this feature, making it harder for learners to understand practical application of a word” English Man said. He added,

“Lexicographers, (the unsung heroes of this tale), delve into the corpus, extracting the quintessence of English. They bring forth definitions that breathe, examples that speak, and transcriptions that resonate with the very sound of English.”

The Climactic Battle

As Dull Vocab rears his tedious head, English Man and Lexicon Lass unleashed the power of COBUILD. Definitions burst forth in full sentences, example sentences rally with context, and word features align in a dazzling display of linguistic might!

And thus, Dull Vocab, the villain falters, his grip loosening, as learners everywhere arm themselves with monolingual might.

The Triumphant Finale

BAM! POW! The victory over Dull Vocabulary is as undeniable as it is vibrant. The links to the COBUILD mobile apps shine like amulets of power, gateways to a world where English is not just a language but an adventure.

Join English Man and Lexicon Lass in this never-ending quest to conquer the bland, to speak with color, and to live the language in the grand tapestry of English storytelling. For it is not just about learning; it's about becoming a hero in your own epic of English.

*Autor's notes:
1. If you want to read a less "comic bookish" version of this post, please read:
"How to Build Vocabulary: Do You Have a Corpus-Based Monolingual Dictionary?"
2. This blog post was written with the help of ChatGPT 4.