Larsen Idealog

Visual Word Mapping - Where have you been all my life?

To keep up with the crazy vocabularies of those sitting around me, I've become an avid user of word widgets and bookmarks on my desktop at work. Widgets save time and paper cuts, but are they fun? No, that is incorrect. They are not 'fun.' You type in the word - it gives you a definition and synonyms (yawn).

But, I recently discovered a couple of sites that are entertaining and useful - they allow you to connect two completely separate words in a logical way (Lexical FreeNet), or demonstrate relationships through visual mapping (Visual Thesaurus). For those who think visually and want to expand their vocabulary - these are great tools.

The Visual Thesaurus is an "interactive dictionary and thesaurus which creates word maps that blossom with meanings and branch to related words. Its innovative display encourages exploration and learning. You'll understand language in a powerful new way."

The Lexical FreeNet allows you to "search for relationships between words, concepts, and people. It is a combination thesaurus, rhyming dictionary, pun generator, and concept navigator. Use it to find words that fit the needs of whatever writing endeavor you've undertaken, or just to browse concept space."