Today saw the launch of a new online dictionary and thesaurus called WordSource. A dictionary with a difference, it has various social features, enabling users to upload photos linked to the words, add tags, rate the words and even play hangman. Whilst certainly embracing the trend towards social media, don’t people just want to look up words....
Implications - The rise of community-edited treasure troves of knowledge such as Wikipedia and Urban Dictionary have inspired a wave of crowdsourced information repositories. Niche dictionaries and pop culture encyclopedias that welcome reader input take advantage of our quest for knowledge and offer readers a valuable resource that is efficient, current and always on the mark.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Community-sourced Dictionaries
- Crowdsourced information repositories inspire niche dictionaries that welcome reader input, offering efficient and current resources.
- Social Language Platforms
- Online dictionaries with social features enable users to upload photos, add tags, rate words, and enhance engagement.
- Personalized Word Search
- WordSource's social dictionary allows users to tailor their word search experience by connecting words with personal photos and playing hangman.
Where This Applies
- Education
- Niche dictionaries and social language platforms provide efficient and valuable resources for students and language learners.
- Technology
- Development of social language platforms and personalized word search features present disruptive innovation opportunities for online dictionary platforms.
- Social Media
- Integration of social features in online dictionaries taps into the trend of engaging users and promoting user-generated content.
