Have you ever wondered how well
Google would match up an entire dictionary with pictures if put to the test? Well, two London based artists and developers have put the search engine through its paces in the creation of a visual dictionary.
Ben West and
Felix Hayes took an average dictionary and replaced every word with the first Google Image result for that particular word. That’s a whopping 21,000 words spread across 1,240 pages.
Reading through the
Google Book isn’t as educational as reading through an ordinary dictionary as it doesn’t match the words with the images or give a definition, but it’s likely to be a much more enjoyable experience. It’s also interesting to see how well Google matches up words to images. It’s also an insight into the world we live in today, as West estimates that approximately half of the book is “revolting medical photos, porn, racism, or bad cartoons.”
The result was printed in a hardcover book and the pair is hoping to print and sell a number of softcover editions. Of course, as soon as money is involved, ownership and usage of materials become far stickier issues. If this does see the light of day, it could be one for the Christmas list. If you want to check out other works from the artists, or see developments regarding the book you can check out
West’s and
Hayes’ personal portfolios.