Linguistic Institute 2017 Course Lexicography
Dictionary Structure
Dr Helene Schmolz University of Passau, Germany [email protected]
Overview
1. Parts of a dictionary 2. Further aspects of dictionary structure 3. Organization of the word list 3.1 Homonyms and polysemes 3.2 Alphabetical and thematic ordering 3.3 Niching and nesting 3.4 Multi-word lemmas 3.5 Information complementing entries 4. Organization of an entry 4.1 Structural elements 4.2 Textual condensation Sources 1. Dictionarystructure --introductionintroduction
ó Using a dictionary needs competence: ◦ Reference competence ◦ General dictionary competence ◦ Specific dictionary competence
Source: http://clipart-library.com/dictionary-cliparts.html
1. Dictionary structure --introductionintroduction
ó Which parts of dictionaries can you identify? Think or have a look at print dictionaries. ó What is the most important part of a dictionary? headword/ entry lemma headword/ lemma
entry 1. Parts ofof a dictionary
ó Megastructure entire structure of the main components of a dictionary: o outside matter: front & back matter (sometimes also middle matter) o body or word list ó Macrostructure organisation of the word list, i.e. lemmas/headwords (such as alphabetical order) ó Microstructure order of information in each entry
1. Parts ofof a dictionary
Mega- structure Macro- structure Micro- Micro- Micro- structure structure structure
From: Klotz & Herbst (2016: 39) 2. Furtheraspects ofof dictionary structure
ó Distribution structure ◦ where lexical information can be found (e.g. in an entry or outside the body) ó Cross-reference structure ◦ directs users to related kinds of information (such as referring to synonym/antonym entries) ó Access structure ◦ directs users to the information they are looking for ◦ two types: ñ outer access structure: which lemma?; e.g. running heads ñ inner access structure: which information of the lemma? e.g. font variants, colours, numerals or letters, punctuation marks
2. Furtheraspects ofof dictionary structurestructure:: Example OALD
Cross-reference structure 2. Furtheraspects ofof dictionary structurestructure:: Example OALD
Outer access structure Outer access structure
2. Furtheraspects ofof dictionary structurestructure:: Example OALD
Inner access structure Inner access structure
Inner access structure RevisitedRevisited:: Parts ofof a dictionary
ó Megastructure entire structure of the main components of a dictionary: o outside matter: front & back matter (sometimes also middle matter) o body or word list ó Macrostructure organisation of the word list, i.e. lemmas/headwords (such as alphabetical order) ó Microstructure order of information in each entry
3. Organization ofofthe word list
ó What should be represented as one lemma or one entry? ◦ Word forms? ◦ Homonyms and polysemes? ó How should lemmas be ordered? ◦ Alphabetic and thematic ordering ◦ Compounds, derived words → niching and nesting ◦ phrasal expressions, idioms → multi-word lemmas ó Information complementing entries 3.1 Homonyms and polysemes
ó Why do we consider foot – foot as polysemes and bank – bank as homonyms? ó Distinction of homonym/polyseme based on two considerations: ◦ Historical: same or different historical origin ◦ Speaker-psychological: relatedness of meaning or no relatedness (only perception of native speaker)
3.1 Homonyms and polysemes
ó Historical consideration:
Same gift ‘present’ From Old Norse gipt historical origin gift ‘talent Different case ‘situation’ From Old French cas historical origin case ‘container’ From Old French casse
ó Speaker-psychological:
branch ‘of tree’ Related branch ‘of company’ trunk ‘chest’ Not related trunk ‘of elephant’ 3.1 Homonyms and polysemes
ó Approach of dictionaries varies ó Example “ditch” ditch /d ɪtʃ / ° noun a long channel dug at theside of a field or road… ° verb …to get rid of sth/sb because you no longer want or need them… ditch 1 /d ɪtʃ / noun a long channel dug at the side of a field or road… ditch 2 verb …to get rid of sth/sb because you no longer want or need them…
From: Klotz & Herbst (2016: 41)
3.2 Alphabeticaland thematic ordering
ó Semasiological (by form) vs. onomasiological (by meaning) ordering ó Reverse dictionaries: ◦ Initial-alphabetical vs. final-alphabetical ordering (e.g. Backwords Dictionary) ◦ ‘typical’ conceptual dictionary vs. reverse conceptual dictionary → http://reversedictionary.org ó Morphologically related lemmas and multi-word lemmas as sub-lemmas → niching and nesting 3.3 Nichingand nesting
ó Lemmas brought together in one entry ó Entry then contains sublemma(s) ó Nesting: the alphabetical order is somehow broken
earner … institution … earnest … instituational … earnestly … institutionally … earnestness … institutionalize … earnings … institutionalization … institutionalized …
3.4 MultiMulti--wordwordlemmas
ó Multi-word lemmas as sub-lemmas in one entry of their component words ó Example: throw the baby out with the bathwater ó To which entry do such multi-word lemmas belong? What are your arguments? → different strategies: ◦ throw , i.e. take the first lexical word ◦ baby, i.e. the first noun ◦ bathwater , i.e. the most characteristic word 3.5 Information complementing entries
ó Sometimes we have independent parts/boxes etc. within or next to entries, such as: ◦ Pictorial illustrations, maps ◦ Statistical charts ◦ Usage boxes
From: Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture, 1998 From Klotz & Herbst (2016: 58, 67)
3.5 Furtherexamples
From OALD 2010 4. Organization ofofan entry
Task: Try to write a dictionary entry out of the following information on the lemma cycle . → use the OHP transparency The main challenge is to structure it in a good way.
The noun cycle is pronounced as /'saɪkl/. It stands for a bicylcle or motorcycle (compare it also to the entries BIKE and BICYCLE). An example for that use is We went for a cycle ride on Sunday. Another sense is that cycle stands for a series of events being repeated many times, such as in the cylce of the seasons . The word cycle can also be used as a verb. It has the same pronunciation as the noun. As a verb, it is especially used in British English with the sense of riding a bicycle, for example , I usually cycle home through the park .
4. Organization ofofan entry
One solution offered by the OALD (2010):
cycle /'saɪkl/ noun, verb ° noun 1 a bicylcle or motorcycle: We went for a cycle ride on Sunday. → see also BIKE, BICYCLE 2 a series of events being repeated many times : the cylce of the seasons . ° verb (especially BrE) to ride a bicycle: I usually cycle home through the park . 4.1 Structural elements
ó Structured entry through ◦ syntactic properties (e.g. word class divisions) ◦ sense divisions ◦ structural divisors and general layout
4.2 Textual condensation
ó shortening, e.g. no complete sentences, use of “shortcuts” such as abbreviations and symbols ó leads to information density ó results in less user-friendliness ó saves space, but no information is lost 4.2 Textual condensation
8 types: ó Abbreviation of citations ó Replacement of text elements by representation (or repetition) symbols ó Replacement of text elements by indication symbols ó Use of structure indicators ó Use of standardized abbreviations ó Summarized presentation of alternative wordings ó Omission of text elements ó Extrapositioning of text elements
4.2 Textual condensation
ó Abbreviation of citations
ó Replacement of text elements by representation (or repetition) symbols e.g. hyphen or tilde
ó Replacement of text elements by indication symbols e.g. vertical stroke, raised dot, stress mark 4.2 Textual condensation
ó Use of structure indicators
ó Use of standardized abbreviations three main types: o general language abbreviations, e.g. sb , sth o abbreviations standardised in linguistic/lexicographic language, e.g. adj. , BrE o abbreviations standardized in the individual dictionary, e.g. T (= transitive verb), U (= uncountable noun)
4.2 Textual condensation
ó Summarized presentation of alternative wordings e.g. brackets, comma, slash
ó Omission of text elements e.g. anything which is missing to form a complete sentence 4.2 Textual condensation
ó Extrapositioning of text elements
4.2 Textual condensation
Which types of textual condensation can you find?