This is a list of 15 helpful apps for all you working linguists out there. The list includes mono- and multilingual dictionaries, grammar and proofreading aids, linguistic article catalogues, and apps for improving productivity and organisation. Download, and enjoy!
Dictionaries
This free app offers the most comprehensive coverage of the English language, with over 350,000 words, phrases, and meanings. It also includes over 75,000 audio pronunciations of common and rare words. Learn synonyms, spelling variations, and slang terms.
Competing with Oxford is America’s Merriam-Webster dictionary. Offering ad-free and offline search, this app is worth the money. Expand your vocabulary with a full thesaurus of more than 200,000 words and explanations, and save your favourite words! You can also play vocabulary games and learn a “word of the day”.
Called the “Must-Have” app for linguists, travellers and language-lovers, this app is perfect for translators and interpreters. Use it as a monolingual dictionary for English to check on slang, technical terminology and parts of speech, or select from hundreds of multilingual dictionaries to search for synonyms, irregular verb conjugations, idioms and so much more!
Another valuable database of multilingual dictionaries. Gain rapid access to dictionaries for English, Spanish and Italian into European and Asian languages. You can also get involved in forums on translation and the English language.
Proofreading
This useful tool will help you compose concise, comprehensible, high-quality texts in English. After writing your text, the app will check for errors, and offer advice on rephrasing. You can also create a personal dictionary of slang, names, and locations, select UK or US English, and quickly access a thesaurus.
This is not your average English grammar app! It focuses on business-related grammar and speech, making it the ideal app for improving how you respond to and negotiate with clients and suppliers. View the graphs and other charts to track your skills and pinpoint where you need to improve.
Productivity
In our digital world, you need important documents there at your fingertips. This innovative app takes all your important receipts and contracts out of the depths of your desk drawer and into your portable device. Scan and save digital versions of paper documents, then upload to your computer or email to contacts. Easy!
Learn how to prioritise tasks with this helpful app! Create to-do lists, select your top three tasks, then set reminders and track your progress over time. With this app, you’ll never forget a task, or feel overwhelmed by long to-do lists.
Linguistics
Expand your vocabulary by learning a new word every day with this fun app. Go for useful words that are used often in English, as well as unique terminology. Like and mark words as favourites to view later, or hit “random” to learn a random word out of thousands in the database.
Join this community of linguists and benefit from a catalogue of articles and tools relevant to linguistics. Follow your preferred linguistic journals, favourite articles, and track tweets from linguistic conferences. All in all, it’s the perfect app for the passionate linguist.
Based on the book, Sound Foundations by pronunciation expert, Adrian Underhill, this app is a life-saver for anyone interpreting in English. Study the fully-interactive Phonemic Chart in both UK and US English and record your own pronunciation to compare. You can also practice your pronunciation with a wide range of quizzes and activities.
Language-learning
Even the best translators and interpreters need to brush up their language skills every now and then! This free, revolutionary app will help you learn any language for free (did we mention that already?), with fun grammar exercises and colourful pictures. Compete with friends, chat in language groups, and level up as you learn.
This brilliant app presents a whole new way to learn languages. In a distant universe, it’s up to you to protect languages, which you do by learning the language of your enemies. It’s a fun game, and most importantly, it works!
Travel
Translators and interpreters often live life on-the-go. Before you set off to meet a client or attend a translation conference, be sure to download this popular, user-friendly app to guide you through new cities. Their maps will help you navigate often confusing public transportation systems with ease.
There’s nothing worse than getting caught in the rain before an interpreting event! Use the most accurate and highly-rated weather app out there for minute-by-minute weather updates, and you’ll never stress over the weather again.
These 15 apps are sure to help busy translators and interpreters go about their work with ease and efficiency. They may even help to make a little extra time for indulging in our favourite pastimes; travelling and learning languages. We included links to the Apple store for these apps, but most are available for Android as well. If you have any recommendations, please share them with us in the comments!