FAQ - Thai-English Dictionary - Word in the Hand Inc.

Thai-English English-Thai Dictionary
for Palm OS® PDAs

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

General Questions:

Q:	Wow! How do I use this?
Q:	What kind of Palm do I need?
Q:	Will this run on my PC/Macintosh?
Q:	Will this run on my Apple iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch?
Q:	Can I look up both English and Thai words?
Q:	Will I see actual Thai script (the Thai alphabet)?
Q:	Do I have to read Thai to use this dictionary?
Q:	Will this software let me write Thai memos/emails on my Palm?
Q:	Can I try the dictionary on my Palm before I buy?
Q:	Does the dictionary talk?
Q:	Can I speak to the dictionary?
Q:	Can I have a look at the product's manual?

Requirements Questions:

Q:	What kind of Palm do I need?
Q:	How much memory does the dictionary use on my Palm?
Q:	Does the dictionary work with Palm OS® 5?
Q:	Does the dictionary take advantage of Sony Clié high-density displays?
Q:	Will this run on PocketPC / Windows CE / Windows Mobile / Windows Phone

Installation/Registration Questions:

Q:	How do I install the dictionary on my Palm?
Q:	How do I beam the dictionary to/from my Palm?
Q:	What happens when I switch to a new PDA?
Q:	Do I have to connect my Palm to my desktop (PC/Macintosh) computer?
Q:	When I run the dictionary, it pops up a window saying "Evaluation Mode" and prompts me to register. What is this?
Q:	How is "Evaluation Mode" different from the real product?
Q:	Can you show me the legal terms for evaluation and purchase (license agreement)?
Q:	Do I ever have to register again?

Using the Dictionary Questions:

Q:	Can I have a look at the product's manual?
Q:	How do I launch the dictionary?
Q:	What are the basic steps to look up a word?
Q:	How do I choose my dictionary section (English, Phonetic, Thai)?
Q:	How do I enter all of the Thai letters?
Q:	How exactly do I need to enter my word?
Q:	How do I change the font size?
Q:	How do I show and hide the on-screen keyboard?
Q:	How do I search for a new word?
Q:	How do I move up and down through the dictionary?
Q:	Can I use Graffiti?
Q:	Can I cut, copy, and paste?
Q:	Can I minimize my Graffiti area to get more screen space?

Reference Questions:

Q:	What are the parts of speech used in the dictionary?
Q:	What are all the phonetic symbols?
Q:	How are the English entries sorted?
Q:	How are the Phonetic entries sorted?
Q:	How are the Thai entries sorted?

General Questions and Answers:

Q:	Wow! How do I use this?
A:	The Thai-English English-Thai Dictionary for Palm OS® PDAs is an easy-to-use software application which runs on handheld personal digital assistants (PDAs) which are based on Palm OS®, like the one pictured here. These PDAs are also great for storing addresses, appointments, notes, and other stuff that's convenient to have in your pocket, and some PDAs can even take photos or play music! You can buy PDAs like this at any local electronics or computer store -- make sure you get a Palm OS® PDA. To use our dictionary, you simply get out your PDA, turn it on, tap once to start the dictionary, and enter the letters of your word. As you enter each letter, the dictionary jumps closer and closer to your word, and typically after only a few letters you have found your word. Each entry contains English, Thai written using the Thai alphabet, and Thai written using a convenient English-like phonetic alphabet. So you can read and search for Thai words even if you don't read Thai script. You enter letters by tapping an on-screen keyboard, or (for English) by writing letters on your device with a stylus (a method known to Palm OS® users as Graffiti). We have lots more information about the dictionary on our overview page, including a visual tour of the program running on a Palm OS® device, a deeper description of our Search-by-Sound™ feature, which lets you search for Thai words by their sound so that you don't need to read Thai script, as well as the exact requirements for your PDA and a description of how to install the dictionary on your PDA in the first place. Return to Top

Q:	What kind of Palm do I need?
A:	Our Thai-English English-Thai dictionary for Palm OS® PDAs will run on any Palm OS® PDA with Palm OS® 3.5 or later. This includes: Sony Clié series Palm IIIc, Vx, VIIx, m-series, Tungsten, Zire Handspring Visor, Treo series and many other Palm Powered devices. It will run on color, black-and-white, low-density, and high-density Palm PDAs. If you run it on a double-density (320x320) PDA, you get two extra fonts and all fonts are extra-crisp and easy to read. Our dictionary runs on Palm OS® devices with a "soft graffiti" area (also known as a "virtual silkscreen" for Sony units or a "dynamic input area" for other devices) just as it runs on devices with a traditional graffiti area: the application runs in the standard square area of your PDA's screen. Already own a Palm PDA? It's easy to check if your Palm PDA will work with our dictionary. See our requirements section for details. Return to Top

Q:	Will this run on my PC/Macintosh?
A:	If you have a Windows PC (desktop, notebook, or netbook), you should check out our Windows software dictionary instead. Currently we do not have a product for Macintosh, but we have heard from several customers who are using the dictionary on a Mac with no problems via CrossOver Mac, Parallels and VMWare Fusion. The program being described on this page runs on handheld personal digital assistants (PDAs) which are based on Palm OS®, like the one pictured here. These PDAs are also great for storing addresses, appointments, notes, and other stuff that's convenient to have in your pocket, and some PDAs can even take photos or play music! You can buy PDAs like this at any local electronics or computer store -- make sure you get a Palm OS® PDA. Return to Top

Q:	Will this run on my Apple iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch?
A:	For Apple mobile devices, you should check out our iPhone/iPad/iPod Touch software dictionary instead. The program being described on this page runs on handheld personal digital assistants (PDAs) which are based on Palm OS®, like the one pictured here. These PDAs are also great for storing addresses, appointments, notes, and other stuff that's convenient to have in your pocket, and some PDAs can even take photos or play music! You can buy PDAs like this at any local electronics or computer store -- make sure you get a Palm OS® PDA. Return to Top

Q:	Can I look up both English and Thai words?
A:	Yes. The dictionary actually has three sections: English words - Click for Screen Shot Thai words written with an English-Like phonetic alphabet - Click for Screen Shot Thai words written with the Thai alphabet - Click for Screen Shot so you can read and recognize Thai words even if you do not read Thai script. You can even look up Thai words by their sound. For more details, see Search-by-Sound™. Return to Top

Q:	Will I see actual Thai script (the Thai alphabet)?
A:	Yes you will. Our dictionary comes with four, crisp, readable Thai fonts built-in. You don't need any extra software to display Thai characters or even to search for Thai words using the Thai alphabet. We provide screen shots of our four crisp fonts here. If you don't read Thai script, our dictionary is still just as useful! Every time a Thai word appears, it's written in the Thai alphabet, but also in an easy-to-use, English-like transliteration, so you can read and sound out Thai words without needing to read Thai script. And thanks to our indispensable Search-by-Sound™ feature, you can even find Thai words by their sound. Return to Top

Q:	Do I have to read Thai to use this dictionary?
A:	No. Our dictionary is equally useful to casual travelers who don't read Thai and serious students who do, because every time a Thai word appears, it is written both in the Thai alphabet and in an easy-to-use, English-like transliteration. So you can read and sound out Thai words without needing to read Thai script. And thanks to our indispensable Search-by-Sound™ feature, you can even find Thai words by their sound without having to know how they are spelled in Thai! Return to Top

Q:	Will this software let me write Thai memos/emails on my Palm?
A:	No. This is a standalone Palm OS® dictionary application and it does not affect Memo Pad, Mail or any of the other standard Palm OS® applications. Return to Top

Q:	Can I try the dictionary on my Palm before I buy?
A:	Yes. You can download our free evaluation and try it on your Palm PDA now. Or, if you've got a friend with the dictionary (either because they purchased it or they are currently evaluating it), ask them to beam it to you (instructions are here)! This is perfectly legal and we encourage people to beam our dictionary to as many others as possible. When the dictionary is beamed onto another PDA, the new copy will start in evaluation mode. The evaluation mode gives you a chance to see the buttons, menus, crisp fonts, and general operation of our dictionary. While in evaluation mode, the dictionary displays 150 words (50 per section). Either way, when you're ready to unlock the full 21,000 words, return to this website and purchase the product from us. After your purchase, we'll direct you to our registration page where you can get a registration code. You enter this code into your dictionary, and it becomes the full version! You don't even need to download another file or transfer any additional files to your PDA. Return to Top

Q:	Does the dictionary talk?
A:	No. Every Thai word in our dictionary includes an easy-to-read Phonetic spelling, but no sounds come out of your Palm OS® PDA. Our dictionary takes up very little memory on your Palm. With our small memory footprint, there's nowhere near enough room for sound files. In the future, we may offer an alternative version that talks in Thai, English, or both, so keep checking back on our website. Return to Top

Q:	Can I speak to the dictionary?
A:	No. Our dictionary does not have speech recognition at this time. However, you can Search-by-Sound™: when you hear a Thai word, you can look up that word by its sound using an English-like phonetic alphabet. You don't have to know the Thai alphabet. Click here for more details. Return to Top

Q:	Can I have a look at the product's manual?
A:	Yes. It's right here: Download PDF Manual (1.7MB) The manual covers use of the dictionary, the phonetic transliteration system, and installation from CD-ROM. If you downloaded the product from our website, you may disregard the section on installation from CD-ROM. The manual is in the popular Adobe (Acrobat) Reader PDF Format. If you don't have it already, you'll need to install the free Adobe Reader on your system to view and print this file. You can download Adobe Reader from this web site. Return to Top

Requirements Questions and Answers:

Q:	What kind of Palm do I need?
A:	Our Thai-English English-Thai dictionary for Palm OS® PDAs will run on any Palm OS® PDA with Palm OS® 3.5 or later. This includes: Sony Clié series Palm IIIc, Vx, VIIx, m-series, Tungsten, Zire Handspring Visor, Treo series and many other Palm Powered devices. It will run on color, black-and-white, low-density, and high-density Palm PDAs. If you run it on a double-density (320x320) PDA, you get two extra fonts and all fonts are extra-crisp and easy to read. Our dictionary runs on Palm OS® devices with a "soft graffiti" area (also known as a "virtual silkscreen" for Sony units or a "dynamic input area" for other devices) just as it runs on devices with a traditional graffiti area: the application runs in the standard square area of your PDA's screen. Already own a Palm PDA? It's easy to check if your Palm PDA will work with our dictionary. See our requirements section for details. Return to Top

Q:	How much memory does the dictionary use on my Palm?
A:	About 710 kilobytes (710 KB, or 0.71 MB). Return to Top

Q:	Does the dictionary work with Palm OS® 5?
A:	Yes. The dictionary works with any Palm PDA with Palm OS® version 3.5 or later, including version 5. In fact, if present, our dictionary will take advantage of a Palm OS® 5 high-density display (or a pre-Palm OS® 5 Sony Clié high-density display) by delivering more, super-crisp fonts. See our font samples for some screen shots. Return to Top

Q:	Does the dictionary take advantage of Sony Clié high-density displays?
A:	Yes. On Palm OS® PDAs with double-density (320x320) displays (including both Palm OS® 5 devices and pre-Palm OS® 5 Sony devices) you'll be able to choose from four super-crisp fonts. See our font samples for some screen shots. Return to Top

Q:	Will this run on PocketPC / Windows CE / Windows Mobile / Windows Phone
A:	No. Our Thai-English English-Thai dictionaries currently only run on Windows PCs and Palm OS® PDAs. We have heard there might be demand for a PocketPC/Windows Mobile/Windows Phone port. If you are interested, send us mail at pocketpc@word-in-the-hand.com Return to Top

Installation/Registration Questions and Answers:

Q:	How do I install the dictionary on my Palm?
A:	Refer to the installation section of our product overview. Return to Top

Q:	How do I beam the dictionary to/from my Palm?
A:	You can beam our dictionary the same way you would beam any Palm OS® application. Start on the Palm OS® PDA that currently has the dictionary. In the application launcher, tap in the upper left to bring up the menu, and select "Beam...": Scroll down (if necessary) to ThaiDict, select it, and tap "Beam:" Now place this Palm OS® PDA on your desk so that its infrared port (small black window around the edge of the PDA) is facing the infrared port of the PDA to which you want to beam the dictionary. The other PDA will detect the beam and it will pop up a message about "Receiving ThaiDict." Beaming takes between 30 seconds and 5 minutes depending on your PDAs. After the beaming is complete, the PDA which received the dictionary will confirm that you want to accept it. Click OK. That's it! Now you may evaluate the dictionary on the second PDA. We encourage you to beam our dictionary to as many others as possible so that they may evaluate the software. Return to Top

Q:	What happens when I switch to a new PDA?
A:	Your license agreement entitles you to run one unlocked copy of the dictionary on one Palm OS® PDA at a time. When you switch PDAs (for example, when you buy a new one), your old registration (REG-) code won't work any more, even if your HotSync name is identical across PDAs. You can get a new registration (REG-) code for the new PDA, free of charge, provided you stop using the dictionary software on the old PDA. To get a new registration (REG-) code, visit our registration site and follow exactly the same procedure as when you registered the original copy. You'll need the Purchase Code (PURCH-) which you received when you originally purchased the software (which is in your confirmation e-mail for online purchases, and on a sticker inside the CD-ROM case for CD-ROM purchases), and you'll need the PDA (PDA-) code from the new PDA. On the registration site, we give you step-by-step instructions on how to get the PDA code. Then, you will receive a new registration code (REG-) which you enter into your PDA, and you're unlocked again! Return to Top

Q:	Do I have to connect my Palm to my desktop (PC/Macintosh) computer?
A:	You don't need to connect your Palm PDA to your desktop computer for registration or normal operation of the dictionary. However, you do need to get the dictionary onto your Palm PDA in the first place! There's a few ways to do this, and only some of them require you to connect your Palm PDA to your desktop computer. If you've got a friend with the dictionary (either because they purchased it or they are currently evaluating it), ask them to beam it to you (instructions are here)! This is perfectly legal and we encourage people to beam our dictionary to as many others as possible. When the dictionary is beamed onto your PDA, it will start on your PDA in 150-word evaluation mode. You will then be able to purchase a license from our website, obtain a registration code, enter it into your PDA, and you will have the full working product on your PDA without ever having connected it to your desktop computer! If not, you'll need to get the dictionary onto your desktop computer, either by downloading it from this website or ordering a CD-ROM by mail. Then you'll need to connect your Palm PDA to your desktop computer and transfer the dictionary over. This transfer is done with the standard Palm Desktop software (the same software you use to synchronize your appointments, calendar, contacts, etc. and perform a back-up of your PDA to your computer). It's surprisingly easy (just a few mouse clicks). In our registration page, we walk you through the whole process visually. Return to Top

Q:	When I run the dictionary, it pops up a window saying "Evaluation Mode" and prompts me to register. What is this?
A:	No matter how you installed your dictionary (e.g. from a download, CD-ROM, or by beaming), it will always come up first in evaluation mode. This is because the evaluation dictionary and the real dictionary are one and the same! You need to register your product once to unlock the full functionality and remove the "Evaluation Mode" window. In evaluation mode, the dictionary only displays 150 words (50 in each section). The evaluation mode gives you a chance to see the buttons, menus, crisp fonts, and general operation of our dictionary. If you haven't purchased the product yet, you will need to purchase it from this website. Once you have purchased the product (on CD-ROM or by download), you'll be able to register your product to unlock the full 21,000 words. You can register your product right now without needing to transfer any more files to your Palm PDA. Just visit our Register Product page. Return to Top

Q:	How is "Evaluation Mode" different from the real product?
A:	In evaluation mode, the dictionary only displays 150 words (50 in each section). The evaluation mode gives you a chance to see the buttons, menus, crisp fonts, and general operation of our dictionary. When you're ready to unlock the full 21,000 words, return to this website and purchase the product from us. After your purchase, we'll direct you to our registration page where you can get a registration code. You enter this code into your dictionary, and it becomes the full version! You don't even need to download another file or transfer any additional files to your PDA. Return to Top

Q:	Can you show me the legal terms for evaluation and purchase (license agreement)?
A:	You can find the End-User License Agreement (EULA), which covers both evaluation and purchase, here. Return to Top

Q:	Do I ever have to register again?
A:	The only cases where you would have to register your dictionary again is if: you switch PDAs, or your PDA's battery runs out, the PDA loses its memory, and you don't use the Palm Desktop software on your PC to back up and restore your PDA. If you do back up and restore with Palm Desktop (a wise idea in any case), then a restore will also restore the dictionary and its registration, so you would not have to register again. In these cases, you would have to register one more time to unlock the full 21,000 words of your dictionary. As long as you are using the dictionary on only one Palm OS® PDA at a time, you can do this on our registration page at no additional cost. Return to Top

Using the Dictionary Questions and Answers:

Q:	Can I have a look at the product's manual?
A:	Yes. It's right here: Download PDF Manual (1.7MB) The manual covers use of the dictionary, the phonetic transliteration system, and installation from CD-ROM. If you downloaded the product from our website, you may disregard the section on installation from CD-ROM. The manual is in the popular Adobe (Acrobat) Reader PDF Format. If you don't have it already, you'll need to install the free Adobe Reader on your system to view and print this file. You can download Adobe Reader from this web site. Return to Top

Q:	How do I launch the dictionary?
A:	After you install the dictionary onto your Palm OS® PDA, you can find it in the Application Launcher. It shows up as "Thai Dict." Depending on how many applications you have installed on your Palm, you may need to scroll down to see it. Return to Top

Q:	What are the basic steps to look up a word?
A:	Our visual tour shows how you can look up a word, usually with just a few taps. Return to Top

Q:	How do I choose my dictionary section (English, Phonetic, Thai)?
A:	Just tap on the menu at the upper right: Eng-Phonetic-Thai is for looking up English words. Phonetic-Thai-Eng is for looking up Thai words using an English-like phonetic alphabet (also known as Thai Sound or Search-by-Sound™). Thai-Phonetic-Eng is for looking up Thai words using the Thai alphabet (Thai script). The on-screen keyboard changes according to your section. Return to Top

Q:	How do I enter all of the Thai letters?
A:	Notice that when you are in the Thai-Phonetic-Eng (Thai Script) section, the on-screen Thai Script keyboard has a "Shift" key. Because there are so many Thai letters, you need to tap "Shift" to access some of the less commonly used letters. Each time you tap "Shift," you switch between the main set of letters and the extra set: Return to Top

Q:	How exactly do I need to enter my word?
A:	Here are some search tips. When entering letters: Upper/lower case, punctuation, and spaces do not matter. Don't bother trying to enter them. In phonetic words (Phonetic-Thai-Eng section), you can almost always skip the tone marks. You only need to enter tone marks if there's another word which differs only by tone marks, but all such words will be next to each other in the dictionary anyway so you can just browse and see. In phonetic words (Phonetic-Thai-Eng section), vowel length (e.g. "a" vs "aa") and consonant sound (e.g. "t" vs. "d" vs "dt") do matter, so be careful to enter the sound that you hear. For a guide to Paiboon Publishing's English-like phonetic transliteration system, including a list of all the possible sounds and how they are spelled phonetically, consult this FAQ question, our product manual or any Paiboon Publishing Thai learning book. Return to Top

Q:	How do I change the font size?
A:	Tap where it says "ThaiDict" to bring up the menu. Tap Options and "Font...": You can then choose a font: You'll have four fonts to choose from on double-density (320x320) devices, and at least two fonts to choose from on other devices. Tap on your desired size and tap OK. Return to Top

Q:	How do I show and hide the on-screen keyboard?
A:	Tap on the tab underneath the keyboard to show and hide it: Hiding the on-screen keyboard gives you more room to read words and definitions. You can also use the area in the lower right and lower left corner of the graffiti area to show/hide the keyboard, or choose "Keyboard" from the "Edit" menu. Return to Top

Q:	How do I search for a new word?
A:	Tap this button to the right of the entry field: This will clear the entry field so that you can begin a new word. Return to Top

Q:	How do I move up and down through the dictionary?
A:	Usually it's easiest to use the physical up/down buttons, joystick, and/or jog dial on your Palm OS® PDA. You can also use the scroll buttons: Return to Top

Q:	Can I use Graffiti?
A:	Yes. You can enter English graffiti characters instead of using the on-screen keyboard. You'll still need the on-screen keyboard for Thai characters and the Phonetic characters that aren't just simple letters. Return to Top

Q:	Can I cut, copy, and paste?
A:	No. At this time you cannot drag and copy dictionary text and you cannot cut, paste, or drag in the edit field. If this is a feature you would find useful, let us know. Return to Top

Q:	Can I minimize my Graffiti area to get more screen space?
A:	No. Currently, our dictionary runs on Palm OS® devices with a "soft graffiti" area (also known as a "virtual silkscreen" for Sony units or a "dynamic input area" for other devices) just as it runs on devices with a traditional graffiti area: the application runs in the standard square area of your PDA's screen. The button to minimize the Graffiti area is disabled or invisible. In the future, when such devices are more common, we may implement this enhancement. Return to Top

Reference Questions and Answers:

What are the parts of speech used in the dictionary?

abbre.	abbreviation
adj.	adjective
adv.	adverb
art.	article (a, an, the)
aux.	auxilliary (can, will, have)
clf.	classifier (counting word in Thai)
collq.	colloquial
conj.	conjunction
excl.	exclamation
idiom.	idiom
interj.	interjection
n.	noun
nm.	numeral
part.	particle (Thai)
pfx.	prefix
prep.	preposition
pron.	pronoun
royal.	royal vocabulary
slang.	slang
v.	verb
vulg.	vulgar

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What are all the phonetic symbols?

Here's a quick guide to the phonetic transliteration system used in all Paiboon Publishing Thai learning materials.

Phonetic words consist of one or more syllables separated by dashes ("-"). Each syllable has an optional initial consonant (or cluster of consonants), followed by a vowel, followed by an optional final consonant. A tone mark may appear above the first letter of the vowel.

Here are all the consonants:

Here are all the vowels:

Here are the tone marks in their alphabetical order:

This is the alphabetical order of the phonetic letters:

For more on alphabetical ordering of phonetic words, see this question.

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How are the English entries sorted?

The English entries are sorted as in an English-English dictionary. First, words are ordered according to the alphabetical order of all letters minus spaces, symbols, accent marks, and punctuation. Then any ties are broken by looking at all letters.

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How are the Phonetic entries sorted?

For a general introduction to the phonetic symbols, see this FAQ question.

This is the alphabetical order of phonetic symbols:

First, phonetic words are sorted according to the alphabetical order above ignoring tone marks. Then, ties are broken based on the tone marks, in this order:

This is a little bit different from Paiboon Publishing's paper Thai-English English-Thai dictionary. Unlike the paper dictionary, we have not attempted to group together words which start with the two-letter consonant symbols "bp," "ch," "dt", and "ng" into their own section of the dictionary. For example, in our software dictionary you will find the word "baa" first, then "bpaa," then "buum," whereas the paper dictionary would list "baa" and "buum" in the "b" section, and then "bpaa" would appear after that, in the "bp" section.

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How are the Thai entries sorted?

Because some Thai vowels are written to the left of, above, and/or below their consonant, Thai sorting is a somewhat complex topic. Our software dictionary sorts Thai words just like a Thai-Thai dictionary, except that our software makes no attempt to group together so-called "compound words" like some Thai dictionaries do. That means you can find a Thai word without needing to know whether it is "compound" or not (a distinction which turns out to be fuzzy even for the most educated Thai scholars!).

For information on Thai sort order, consult a Thai-Thai dictionary.

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