def load(filename):
  ''' Open and return the supplied json file '''
  global _DICTIONARY
  try:
    json_file = filename + '.json'
    with open(os.path.join(_DEFAULT_DIR, json_file), 'rb') as f:
      _DICTIONARY = json.load(f)
  except IOError:
    raise IOError('Language file not found. Make sure that your ',
                  'translation file is in the languages directory, ')