Researcher Pema Wangdi explained that unlike the available materials, the new dictionary, which is based on the Oxford Popular School Dictionary and the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary, tries to distinguish different word senses in a series of numbered equivalence. “If not then we have tried to define the English word in its closest Dzongkha equivalent,” he said, adding that this allowed people more choices to pick and choose words to fit their context.

However, the definitions are not strictly restricted to Dzongkha only. The experts point out that for some English words whose equivalence are not found in the Dzongkha vocabulary have been borrowed from Choeked (classical Tibetan text) and other regional dialects such as Tshangla, Bumthap, and many others.

For example, the word 'gowtshor' in Brokpa snugly fit the word 'love' in English, both in its verb and noun usage. “We have tried to put meaning by using words from other languages that explains the English equivalent beautifully,” he pointed out.

Kharang, kotkin, tshemto, modhuphala (for papaya in Tshangla) are some words incorporated in the dictionary.

But Pema Wangdi explained that only those regional words that follow similar Dzongkha sound system and are easy to spell in Dzongkha have been taken into account “to avoid confusion”.

With over 30,000 words as the main entries, the researchers are convinced that except for cultural specific words, most of the words in the English vocabulary have been incorporated in the new dictionary.

Civil servants, translators, interpreters, and students are the target readers, the authority officials said. Senior reader, Dorji Gyeltshen, said that the sole purpose of the dictionary is to promote Dzongkha language through English. “With this publication people should now be able to use Dzongkha more frequently and in its correct form,” he said.

The dictionary is simple and straightforward, and the spellings simplified, said Pema Wangdi. The headwords, which are the general root words, are arranged in alphabetical order with no phonetics and no grammatical information. Pema Wangdi said that the need was not called for because such facilities are available in the English dictionaries which are found in abundance.

Developed over a series of meetings where the experts deliberated on endless debates and discussions, the dictionary would be provisional and subject to further discussions and changes as per the feedback from the readers. “As soon as we start getting comments from the readers we will start the second edition,” said Dorji Gyeltshen.

The DDA will print about 3,000 copies, which will be distributed to schools and various government departments and sectors, free of cost.