Using a Custom Dictionary in Microsoft Word 2008 for Mac

This tutorial is designed for Macintosh users running Microsoft Word 2008. This tutorial assumes that the end-user has basic proficiency in the Macintosh operating system.

What is a Custom Dictionary? Why use a Custom Dictionary?

A dictionary is used in Microsoft Word to check the spelling of words in your Word document. A Custom Dictionary is used to supplement the standard dictionary. In most cases, a Custom Dictionary contains words that aren't included in the traditional dictionary—such as names, technical terms, words from foreign languages, or alternative spellings of words.

According to Microsoft (2012), "When you use the spelling checker, it compares words in your document with those in the main dictionary. The main dictionary contains most common words, but it might not include proper names, technical terms, acronyms, and other specialized language. To prevent the spelling checker from questioning the spelling of such words, you can add the words to a Custom Dictionary. You cannot check grammar with a Custom Dictionary."

How to use your own Custom Dictionary

Follow these steps in order to use your own Custom Dictionary:

1. Launch Microsoft Word 2008

   • Using the Finder in Mac OS, navigate to the location of the Microsoft Word 2008 application. By default, Word 2008 is located in the "Macintosh HD/Applications/Microsoft Office 2008" directory (fig. 1)

• • • (fig. 1)

1. Open the Microsoft Word Preference Panel

   • To open the Microsoft Word Preference Panel, Go to the "Word" menu in the upper-right of the screen and select "Preferences..." (fig. 2)

• • • (fig. 2)

1. Open the "Spelling and Grammar" Preference Pane

   • Once the Preference Panel has opened, select the "Spelling and Grammar" icon located under the "Authoring and Proofing Tools" heading (fig. 3)

• • • (fig. 3)

1. Open the "Dictionaries" Menu

   • Once the "Spelling and Grammar" menu has opened (fig. 4a), open the "Dictionaries" menu by selecting the "Dictionaries" button (fig. 4b)

• • • (fig.4b)

    • (fig. 4a)

1. Open "Custom Dictionary" File

   • Select the checkbox next to "Custom Dictionary" (fig. 5a)

• • • • (fig. 5c)

• • Select the "OK" button to open the file

1. Add the Custom Words in "Custom Dictionary" File

   • Once the "Custom Dictionary" file is open, you can the custom words that you want to add to the dictionary (one word per line)

     • For this example, I will be adding the some of names of pitchers on the Cleveland Indians 2012 Spring Training roster (fig. 6a). This would be useful if I were writing a story or article on the Cleveland Indians pitching staff.

• • • • (fig. 6a)

• • Once all of the names are added, save the file by going to the "File" menu and selecting "Save". (fig. 6b)

• • • (fig. 6b)

1. Test the Custom Dictionary

   • Once you have saved the Custom Dictionary, create a new document to test the dictionary.

     • Go to the "File" menu and select "New Blank Document". (fig. 7a)

• • • • (fig. 7d)

• • • As you can see, "Pomeranz" is being caught by the "Spelling and Grammar" tool whereas the words "Ubaldo" and "Jimenez" are both undetected by the "Spelling and Grammar" tool. This means that the Custom Dictionary is working correctly.

After following all of the steps of the tutorial, you should now know how to use the Custom Dictionary in Microsoft Word 2008 for Mac. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me at mckennaEDU@gmail.com. All images used were screenshots created by Matthew McKenna.

Resource

Microsoft. (2012). Office:mac-Create and use a custom dictionary. Retrieved March 15, 2012 from http://mac2.microsoft.com/help/office/12/en-us/word/item/58085c7c-6394-468b-9a5b-6f745854958a