Cannot remove US dictionary
I have installed two dictionaries, "English (United Kingdom)", and "French". However, when I go to check a spelling, (right click/Languages over the suspect word), I am offered a third dictionary choice, "English (United States), which I do not want. I have removed the US dictionary and even the language pack but the menu item persists. I can find no way to get rid of it.
Please advise
All Replies (10)
I presume that's a reply intended for a Windows user ? I am running a linux distro and have searched I think everywhere for the "dictionaries folder in the Firefox program folder", and for "en-US.aff" and "en-US.dic" without success.
I have uninstalled the US language pack and I have removed the US dictionary. However, the menu item still appears in the context menu and the dictionary is still there.
Found it. For anyone else battling with this the answer is here.
In Linux: Go to the folder /usr/share/hunspell and delete the dictionary files not required. en-US.dic and associated en-US.aff or move them to a sub folder. Restart Firefox.
Spoke too soon. Since Snaps this seems to be pretty much impossible, (at least for me), as copies of en-US.dic and en-US.aff are stored in the read only snap-store subdirectories.
Personally, I believe this is a Firefox bug and I would report it if I knew how. (Can't find the right place in GitHub).
nikkkko said
I presume that's a reply intended for a Windows user ? I am running a linux distro and have searched I think everywhere for the "dictionaries folder in the Firefox program folder", and for "en-US.aff" and "en-US.dic" without success.
Normally Dictionaries for Firefox are installed in Firefox like a extension (whether on Windows, macOS, or Linux) . https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/how-do-i-use-firefox-spell-checker#w_adding-dictionaries
Since you are using a package build of Firefox you may have dictionaries for Firefox installed in package manager?
The en-US Firefox from say mozilla.org/firefox/all/ is one of 2-3 locales that comes with a dictionary due to license reasons.
Modified by James
You can try to install the en-GB Firefox version as that version doesn't come with a dictionary.
You can find the full installer of the current Firefox release (102.0) in all languages and all operating systems here:
I am running a version of Ubuntu downloaded from the Ubuntu site. I have no control over the version of Firefox included using the Snap installer, (which is the default these days). I can uninstall the snap version of Firefox and download an apt version and this will remove the US menu item.
However, this is not a solution, it's a workaround.
There's a problem, which is that the user is offered a series of choices - install a dictionary, delete another - and the outcome is not reflected in the choices made.
I have entered this in Bugzilla and we'll see where it goes from there.
The third party package builds as said tends to have the dictionaries installed in package manager. Seen occasions of users here reporting they had a long list of dictionaries and language packs installed unless the user unselected or such. Not sure if the snap build of Firefox comes with the en-US dictionary or if it is separate in install.
I see you filed https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1777853
You do not have to use the snap version as you you can use the deb package or the tarball from mozilla.org/firefox/all/ . Problem is Ubuntu may try to update to snap version if you use the deb package as reported in https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/discussions/firefox-as-a-snap-package/td-p/4704
@James I realise I can use a package but that's not how Ubuntu is delivered these days and deleting a Snap to install a deb is not what we might expect of a 'normal' user. What we might expect is that they use the Firefox settings as they stand. Hence the bug report.
If the moderators on this board and at Bugzilla decide this is just how it is then so be it. IMHO this is not a user experience commensurate with good software implementation.