Julian

Dictionaries give you the definition of a particular word and they may even define some specific boundary conditions. What a dictionary doesn't do very well is to convey the 'feel' of a word. It would be hard to translate a joke or something culturally profound using only a dictionary. Every time I learn a new language I notice that at first I can communicate, that is, I can convey the idea I am formulating, i.e. I can ask for food, water, an ambulance, another 9mm clip, you know, whatever. After being immersed in a language (not really possible with Koine, obviously) I find that after a while I am suddenly able to convey my idea with nuances, varied emphases, possibly subtle humor, and so on. When that happens I know that I understand words at a level that cannot be properly explained in a lexicon. It doesn't mean that I understand all the various definitions that a dictionary can list but that I understand a personal and cultural impact of a particular word in a particular context. The 'feel' of a word, as it were... English isn't my first language and I am not certain that I would enjoy hanging out here if I didn't have a good feel for the language.

Julian