Demand for dictionaries in India steady, says Oxford press

Despite the onset of digitisation, the demand for dictionaries has remained constant in India and is growing in countries like Africa, says a senior official at Oxford University Press.
"India is a big market for us and the demand for our dictionaries, both print and online, has remained constant for the last few years. In some other countries like Africa, Kenya, etc we have even seen a growth in demand," Patrick White, Head of ELT Dictionaries and Reference Grammar at Oxford University Press (OUP), told PTI during a visit to the city.
Globally, they have sold 38 million print copies of the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary (OALD) since it's launch in 1948. Its ninth edition was launched here recently.

The dictionary market has been hit hard by declining sales of its print editions due to the impact of the internet.
OUP had even earlier announced that the third edition of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) will never be printed again but will be available only online.
White said they have so far sold around 1.3 million copies of OALD in various e-formats including mobile apps and e-books.

An app of the new edition will also be launched later in the year.
One of the advantages with the e-edition is that they are updated more frequently, almost every three months by the publisher.

The ninth edition of the dictionary presents itself as a speaking tool with enhanced focus on pronunciation.
"It comes with a DVD which has videos to help learners practise themselves on how to make the right pronunciation through the iSpeaker tool. It will also help students prepare for different types of exams," White said.