--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Basic dictionaries no longer belong on…" description: "\"Basic dictionaries no longer belong on paper; the greatest, the 'Oxford English Dictionary,' has nimbly remade itself in cyberspace, where it has doubl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/james-gleick-2623_basic_basic-dictionaries-no-longer-belong-on-p_2493509.jpg" --- # Basic dictionaries no longer belong on paper; the… ![“Basic dictionaries no longer belong on paper; the greatest, the 'Oxford English Dictionary,' has nimbly remade itself in cyberspace, where it has doubled in size and grown more timely and usable than ever.” quote by James Gleick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/james-gleick-2623_basic_basic-dictionaries-no-longer-belong-on-p_2493509.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/james-gleick-2623_basic_basic-dictionaries-no-longer-belong-on-p_2493509.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e50/james-gleick-2623_basic_basic-dictionaries-no-longer-belong-on-p_2493509.jpg) > “Basic dictionaries no longer belong on paper; the greatest, the 'Oxford English Dictionary,' has nimbly remade itself in cyberspace, where it has doubled in size and grown more timely and usable than ever.” [James Gleick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-gleick/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Oxford English Dictionary’s shift to digital format expands its size, speed, and accessibility, reshaping how we use language. **In simple terms:** Digital shift makes dictionaries larger and faster. Key Takeaway Embrace digital tools for knowledge. Themes technology language accessibility Mood informative optimistic Type academic technological When to use this quote - education - research - publishing - software development Key Concepts information science digital humanities Questions to Reflect On - How does digital access change learning? - What are the risks of online language resources? A Different Perspective Digital versions may lose tactile experience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cyberspace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cyberspace/) [Dictionaries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dictionaries/) [Dictionary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dictionary/) [English](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/english/) [Usable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/usable/) ## Related quotes > [Critics I don't understand. They get too intellectual. They're not very well-versed in street talk; it takes them longer to say it. So they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/critics-i-don-t-understand-they-get-too-intellectual-they-re-not-very/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [Alphabetical order had to be invented to help people organize the first dictionaries. 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