OGDEN's BASIC ENGLISH INSTITUTE
Translation Version 0.5j
We had been adding translations letter-by-letter starting with the smallest to largest
and had half the letters covered when we decided it would be more immediately valuable to users if we have the entire alphabet covered for the most common words for a uniformly minimum level, and remembered the SCOWL project had such a spelling list. We took this list (discussed below), confirmed that such current popular usages were covered in the translation lists that had already been completed, and began adding the Level 10 non-Basic words before moving to the next level of depth.
We also added the most common suffix and translations.
By the way, we include the English and American variants and have always included alternate spellings for translations of which we were aware.
About SCOWL -- Spell Checking Oriented Word Lists by Kevin Atkinson at http://wordlist.sourceforge.net/
He defines levels as:
| Level | Words | Desc | Definition
|
|---|
| 10 | 5K words | starter | included in any of several of top 1000-word lists plus common internet words.
|
| 20 | 14K words | pocket | words included in all dictionaries |
|
| 35 | 49K words | small | words included in 11 of 12 dictionaries.
|
| 50 | 94K words | medium | words appear in 5 of 12 dictionaries
|
| 70 | 200K words | large | words appear in any of 12 dictionaries
|
Anything larger allows too many spelling errors to be accepted and is only useful to gamers -- crossword, scrabble, etc.
He continues to level 95 with 628,000 spellings which he classifies as an "insane" level.
STATUS by Letters of the Alphabet.
Basic English words, international, and derivatives -- all.
Special Wordlists, [general] plus [second] indicated -- all.
Internet/computer Words -- all.
Alternate spellings (level 25) -- all.
Common -suffix -- all
Common words, level 10 and level 20 -- all
SCOWL v.6 changed over 3,000 words that
have now been integrated.
We are now between Level 20 and 30 and far exceed the number of words in The Basic Dictionary.
BASIC,10-:A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z ver 0.1
SPECIAL: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z ver 0.2
LEVEL 10+:A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z ver 0.3n
LEVEL 20: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z Ver 0.4/0.5
TBD, 18 : A, B, C, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, Q, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z Ver 0.6
GBD, 30:A-Am,B, C, J, K, N, Q, X, Y, Z
Version 0.4, Level 10 +20 A/B
This includes all of the Basic words: the 850, the derivatives, international, compound words, special, detail, and "next step" words, plus the SCOWL level 10 words. Then adds the uniquely American and English spellings of level 20.
Version 0.5, Level 10 to level 20
This includes all of the Basic words: the 850, the derivatives, international, compound words, special, detail, and "next step" words.
Plus the most used non-Basic vocabulary translations of level 10 plus many level 20 translations.
In addition, many letters are complete at the "The Basic Dictionary" level (and several letters at the "General Basic English Dictionary" level).
Accumulated additions and corrections from daily use.
Plans for Version 0.5
Further steps in Version 0.5 will complete all letters to Level 20 translations. This entailed about 10 steps, all are now completed. Because we are combining various sources, the 39,000 words, spellings, and meanings, we have already exceeded expectations of this level. Plus any higher levels submitted by member volunteers.
Plans for Version 0.6 . Level 20 to TBD Level.
This will be a backfilling task to assure that all of the Basic Dictionary have been included. About 5 steps.
Plans for Version 0.7
This will be an interim stopping point that will be a solid paperback/small desktop dictionary. It may be considered the pre-release of Version 1.0
Expansion involves adding multiple meanings from The General Basic Dictionary.
Selective definitions moving towards GBE. Possibly American and English words at level 35.
Plus any higher levels submitted by member volunteers.
The General Basic English Dictionary, about level 30, is a small desktop dictionary and contains both many more words and more multiple senses of words -- and is not scheduled.
It goes beyond the level of everyday usage.