Number 18 y July 2010 Kernerman kdictionaries.com/kdn DICTIONARY News Random House Webster’s College Dictionary: A new start

K Dictionaries is proud to announce it has acquired the multilingual—versions. electronic rights for the latest edition of the world-famous We have started by upgrading the dictionary data into Random House Webster’s College Dictionary (RHWCD). state-of-the-art XML format, and proceeded to convert the First published to critical acclaim in phonetic transcription into standard 1947 as the American College Dictionary, IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet). RHWCD has maintained its status over First versions of our new electronic the years as a favorite among American applications for desktop and online are university students and the general already available, to be followed by public. Revised and updated annually, versions for e-books and smart phones. the dictionary was considered a leader in The editorial revision is also underway, recording the important changes in the led by RHWCD’s former Senior Editor, English language throughout the second Enid Pearsons. It mainly concerns half of the twentieth century and into introducing new entries and updating the new millennium. The last edition existing entries with new meanings. This appeared in 2005, and was the final year we aim to complete a good part of version of RHWCD to be revised since the vocabulary that has been added to the Random House closed its dictionary English language over the last decade, department. This is the version that K and we intend to keep the dictionary Dictionaries has purchased, and which up-to-date with new words and phrases it began to revive. on a regular basis. The dictionary covers all levels of The main purpose of K Dictionaries is vocabulary, from formal English to to use RHWCD as a base for developing slang, presenting common meanings major-size bilingual versions for the digital first, arranged according to frequency world. The first language translation that rather than in historical order. It consists of 130,000 words is currently in preparation is Brazilian Portuguese, a preliminary and expressions, covering close to 200,000 senses. The entries sample of which appears on p.5. include word usage guidance with clear explanations, sample This issue contains also a recent discussion between sentences, pronunciations and etymological information, as Enid Pearsons and the former Publisher of Random House well as sections with biographical and geographical entries. dictionaries, Charles M. Levine, reminiscing about Random K Dictionaries has undertaken to revise and update the House dictionaries, and a reprint of a brief comment that was dictionary and add new words. It will offer the full dictionary made by Sidney Landau following the closure of Random and its abridged versions for all types of digital media, and House’s dictionary department. use it as a base for developing bilingual—and, eventually, ■ IJK

1 Random House Webster’s College Dictionary: A new start 2 The Random House dictionary tradition y Charles M. Levine and Enid Pearsons 6 The evolution of learners’ dictionaries and Merriam-Webster’s Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary y Paul Bogaards © 2010 All rights reserved. 15 Anatoly Liberman. An Analytic Dictionary of English Etymology: An Introduction y Mateusz Urban K DICTIONARIES LTD Nahum 8 Tel Aviv 63503 Israel 19 English Learners’ Dictionaries at the DSNA 2009 Tel: 972-3-5468102 Fax: 972-3-5468103 [email protected] Editor y Ilan J. Kernerman http://kdictionaries.com ISSN 1565-4745 2

The Random House dictionary tradition A conversation between Charles M. Levine and Enid Pearsons

Levine: I find it quite gratifying that K as Cerf notes, Random House was in debt Dictionaries has purchased the digital to the banks: “One wonderful thing about rights to the Random House Webster’s dictionaries, though, is that a good one College Dictionary (RHWCD) and plans always makes money. Once it’s completed, to undertake annual updates of the entries. it’s the publisher’s property, and if it starts I am sure you must feel the same—sad selling in quantity, the costs are recovered that Random House decided to close rather quickly because there is no royalty its dictionary editorial department after to pay. The American College Dictionary more than five decades establishing a won great critical acclaim and was a huge distinguished lexicographic tradition—yet success. It was the first brand-new dictionary comforted that the dictionary that we in a long time. Once again the old Cerf luck worked on for so many years (and you for prevailed; and we soon got out of that [debt] many more years than I) lives on. pickle.” [232] photo: Charmaine Delmatier I remember rather vividly when I traveled to mainland China in 1997 to attend the Pearsons: Yes. Indeed. It was absolutely Charles M. Levine has over launch by Commercial Press of Beijing devastating to think that all those years of thirty-years’ experience of the Chinese edition of the College careful lexicographic work would be lost. as publisher and editor, dictionary. I believe they worked on the I am thrilled that the dictionary lives on, in specializing in both general Chinese translation for more than a decade. capable hands. consumer and reference I was treated at the launch ceremony like a And what memories, very personal ones, products including dictionaries. visiting dignitary, so much so, I was told, you bring back! It is no exaggeration to say He has published major that an attending cultural attaché from our that getting a job at Random House in the own American embassy wondered aloud early 1960s, right after acquiring a bachelor’s bestsellers under the brands who I was and why I was considered so degree at Queens College (now part of the of Insight Guides, New York important. This little American status City University of New York), was a dream Public Library, J.K. Lasser, and dance highlighted for me the general lack come true. Unhappy with prospects of a Random House Webster’s. He of understanding, as I perceived it, of the teaching job I had been offered, I scoured graduated Phi Beta Kappa from importance of dictionaries in our own the New York Sunday Times employment Columbia College, majoring culture. What were words worth, really? pages for something else—anything else! in physics, and received a Could you get rich compiling and publishing To my astonishment, I came upon an ad master’s degree in the history dictionaries? If not, then why bother? for a pronunciation editor for a revision of and philosophy of science from And, by the way, later that same year, the American College Dictionary (ACD), Indiana University. He has Commercial Press informed Random House which turned out to be the first edition worked as publishing executive that then Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, of The Random House Dictionary of the on his first state visit to Washington, D.C., English Language, Unabridged Edition. for a number of major brought a copy of the Chinese edition of Since phonetics, taught by Professor Arthur publishers, including Simon the RHWCD as a gift to President Clinton. J. Bronstein, had been far and away my & Schuster, John Wiley, and It seems that dictionaries did and do matter favorite class at Queens, I was ecstatic at Random House, where he was to some people. the possibility of doing something I loved vice-president and publisher I have a copy at hand of At Random and getting paid for it! The job interview of Random House Reference. [Random House, 1977], the delightful with Larry Urdang, then managing editor, He currently is a contributing reminiscences of Random House co-founder was so full of puns and other arch linguistic editor of the professional Bennett Cerf, who soon after World War II exchanges that I felt at home immediately. newsletter Copyediting, writing “arrived at the office one day and cheerily I had found a career. And Arthur Bronstein, a bi-monthly column called announced, ‘Let’s do a dictionary!’” [231] my professor, who had worked on the ACD “Technically Speaking.” During Cerf admits that at first he had little idea of in the 1940s, was on the dictionary’s editorial 2006-08 he was the editor of what goes into compiling a dictionary—he board as the consultant for pronunciation. first thought that two bright editors on staff I was to be the in-house editor in charge an international journal on could manage to create one in their spare of checking the pronunciations of all the publishing, LOGOS (www. time. But he quickly realized he needed words already in the dictionary and entering logos-journal.org) and in 2002 an expert, and so hired Clarence Barnhart, pronunciations for the new ones. I couldn’t he co-authored Meshuggenary: “who was considered one of the best have been happier. Celebrating the World of lexicographers in the United States, [and] Early on, I learned a charming bit of Yiddish, which recently debuted had just finished the Thorndike-Barnhart dictionary history relevant to my work. on the Kindle. dictionary, and luckily was available.” The ACD, published in 1947, had been the [email protected] [231] first commercial dictionary to acknowledge When the first Random House college a fact about spoken English that was either dictionary, called the American College little known or understandably ignored by

Kernerman Dictionary News, July 2010 Dictionary, was published in 1947, however, the general public. That is, English is replete 3 with occurrences of a neutral, unstressed exactly the project that was already in vowel, which can be spelled with an a, e, i, full swing when I first arrived. The staff o, or u, as in sofa, paper, animal, random, seemed enormous to me, and the editor/ and supply; or even with some combination consultant relationship that I had with of vowels, as in the last syllable of…well, Arthur Bronstein was mirrored throughout combination. In other words, different the reference department. The in-house staff spellings for the same sound. was filled with specialists whose academic Realizing this, the 1940s ACD editors and professional backgrounds had prepared bravely introduced the schwa (ə) to American them to handle the vocabulary of various lexicography. A single pronunciation symbol related fields, however esoteric. One editor, would thus represent that single sound that for example, handled building trades, other dictionaries still represented with furniture, and medieval armor, among multiple confusing symbols. other arcane subjects. Others worked on Apparently, although the dictionary medicine, botany, biology, ichthyology, itself was a great success, not everyone radio and TV, slang, literature.…I could go was immediately receptive to the little (ə) on for pages, just listing the varied fields of that just said “uh.” I think it was Jess Stein interest that were covered. The editors in himself, then editor-in-chief, who told me turn all had consultants from the academic that somewhere, hidden away, there was an world who would vet their work and to entire file cabinet filled with letters from whom they could turn when they needed irate early buyers of the ACD, all saying, to pin down an exact meaning. Sometimes Enid Pearsons graduated in effect, “I bought this dictionary for my a consultant would send in dictionary from Queens College, City daughter/son/nephew/granddaughter, but entries to which the in-house editor would University of New York, unfortunately, I must return it. Your e’s apply lexicographic polish, and sometimes in 1961, with a Bachelor are upside-down!” Lexicographic urban the work flowed in reverse. The terms in of Science in speech, and legend? Perhaps. But I chose to believe the common vocabulary of English were immediately began her it. And despite that early resistance, the handled by other staff writers, some of lexicographic career as schwa was an innovation destined to spread whom were remarkably eloquent: Robert pronunciation editor for first to all the other major American English Costello comes to mind (he later became dictionaries—and beyond. acting chief of Random House dictionaries, edition of Random House after by-then legendary Jess Stein and his Dictionary of the English Levine: In his memoirs, Bennett Cerf goes successor, Stuart Flexner, had retired). Language, Unabridged Edition. on to note that after the ACD was published, Costello could write dictionary definitions Later she went back to school he hired Jess Stein, “who had studied that were not only on target in explicating to earn her Master’s degree under Sir William Craigie, the great editor meanings but were little lyrical gems. I was and do post-Master’s work in of the Oxford English Dictionary.” [232] in awe of what my colleagues could do. My linguistics at Teachers College, Stein “became the head of our reference job in contrast seemed comparatively simple: Columbia University. She department and later of our whole college transcribe the sounds of each term using a returned to Random House in textbook department, which made him one dictionary diacritical system that I had been the late 1970s as Senior Editor of the most important people at Random able to modify to my satisfaction. in charge of pronunciation House.” This was the 1960s. There were no desktop and style for their line of In 1961, Cerf, who always had a keen computers; nor were there typewriters at the eye for the marketplace and competition, editors’ desks. New entries were created dictionaries, and also was saw that their main rival, Merriam-Webster, the old-fashioned way, hand-printed on in-house editor for specialized had issued an unabridged dictionary, which pink 8 1/2 by 11 “add-forms,” which had dictionaries in fields as diverse “was received with hostility by many multiple, multicolored carbon copies. as computers, law, medicine, critics....So we figured the field was wide But Larry Urdang and Jess Stein were and sign language, and was part open. Of course, this was a tremendous prescient pioneers. Urdang in particular of the Random House Mavens’ undertaking. For the unabridged Random was an eccentric computer enthusiast well team, writing word-of-the-day House Dictionary of the English Language before the breed existed. He had arranged essays on grammar, usage, [RHDEL], we had at one time almost four to have the add-form entries typed up on a idioms, and pronunciation to hundred people working on it, top authorities flexowriter, an early 20th-century precursor be posted on the Web. Since in every field.” [234] Cerf estimates that the of word processing, which encoded the text her pseudoretirement in 2001, first edition of the Unabridged cost three to by punching holes onto paper tape. The four US million dollars to complete, over tapes were then used to produce enormous she has served as consultant on four years. Actually that was a remarkable computer printouts that were then bound in reference projects for various feat that would be hard to beat today, even large, heavy ledgers, separate ledgers for publishing houses. using computer-enabled lexicography. each field of interest—literature, linguistics, [email protected] You entered the Random House dictionary botany, fish, birds, French furniture, picture around then. What was it like American history, and on and on. Another working on Random House dictionaries in member of the staff had previously coded those pioneering days? each add-form entry numerically, by eye and hand, so that all the entries from the various

Pearsons: The unabridged RHDEL was ledgers, once edited, could ultimately be Kernerman Dictionary News, July 2010 4

sorted—by computer, of course—into a Their foray into SGML as an appropriate Random House single alphabetical order. Then off to the language for lexicography would eventually announced the closure compositor they went, little by little, A benefit us all, and the simpler XML is now of its dictionary department in late through Z. a reference-book standard. 2000. My ledger, in which I was to syllabify, But back then, nothing was quite ready for stress, inflect, and pronounce the our needs. We were visited and courted by a The following comment entries—because it contained the new slew of companies with a range of software was made by Sidney headwords, which we called “main programs and specialized computers, some Landau in a posting to entries”—was called the Main Ledger. So companies very promising, others not even the DSNA discussion I put a large sign up over my desk reading literate—linguistically or technically. One group on November LEGERDEMAIN. Larry Urdang, passing company had a keyboard so large and 4, 2001 and was by, casually asked if that meant I would complicated it could have accommodated reprinted in the DSNA never do any work on the ‘ledger’ until Chinese ideograms. Another listed “Miriam Newsletter, 25.2, Fall ‘tomorrow’. I knew just enough French Webster” as a hoped-for client. I remember 2001: ‘This is another step to reinforce my sense that I had found the all too vividly seeing one dedicated editing in the long decline right job. computer that would have driven us mad. of editorial power in To delete a single letter, an editor had to go publishing houses Levine: Indeed, I believe that we all felt we through the following exchange: generally. Corporate had found the right home at Random House sponsors of books may compiling and publishing dictionaries! May Editor: Hit the Delete key. become a growing this great dictionary tradition live on. Like Computer (on screen): “What do phenomenon—these many of us, you left and then returned to you want to delete—character, word, are preeminently Random House for a second time. sentence, paragraph, page, document?” market-driven, after Editor: Select “character” all. Dictionary editors Pearsons: Yes, I returned to Random House Computer: “Are you sure?” have always been hired hands, but they had in 1979, having taken some time after the Editor: “%^$@#!*&^” at least some variable first RHDEL was published in 1966 to degree of impact on start a family and to go to graduate school. In the end, our staff programmer, Paul their product because Oddly, after all that, I went back to what was Hayslett, created and customized an of the traditional essentially the same job I had left. Happily, editorial system for us. It came to life too belief, or supposition, it soon became much broader in scope and late for the second unabridged, alas, but in that books were grew to include stylistic minutiae and even time for its college offspring and for later intellectual products defining. revisions of the unabridged. Paul somehow that really had to be The lexicographic staff for the second knew what we needed editorially before we created by someone, unabridged was considerably smaller than did! “Genius” does not begin to describe and that therefore their creators deserved some the one I had left in 1966. We all knew, him. He and his coding prowess eventually consideration. however, that we were responsible for joined with Steve Perkins to create PubMan One of the results of the revising and enhancing a large, unabridged at Dataformat.com (now a part of IDM), computer revolution, dictionary and that a smaller college and they have been producing beautiful I think, has been dictionary was to follow. And this time, reference works ever since. further to marginalize more thorough computerization, not only But it was not just the fun of plunging authorship, and to make of dictionary production and composition, into the world of computers that made my “content” even more but of the actual editing process, was a second tour at Random House memorable. thoroughly a vehicle for tantalizing promise—so close, but not yet First, there was the staff—bright, generous sales. Most commercial in reach. At last and at least, we editors had colleagues and wonderful friends. Then, publishers have really desktop computers. But they were merely there was an underlying philosophy that been discontinuing editorially-oriented used for word processing to produce neatly focused in many ways on the needs of initiatives for a long typed equivalents of an earlier generation’s dictionary users. Notably, one facet of time, and I fear the hand-printed entries. Everything was stored this concern was editorial receptivity trend can only get on floppy disks. (Remember floppies?) to the new words that spring suddenly worse. The high Stuart Flexner, our editor-in-chief, was into the general lexicon. Mind you, we up-front cost of determined to extend Larry Urdang’s understood the wisdom exhibited in more dictionaries makes them vision of dictionary computerization, traditional dictionaries. Their editors waited, peculiarly vulnerable. and a small committee was formed to sometimes for a decade or more, until a Lost in all this is see if we could find a suitable vendor word became well established in written the human hurt to with appropriate editorial software for citational evidence before formally entering lexicographers who have devoted years and our purposes. We traveled, searching—to it into their reference works, thereby years to producing good Baltimore, Chicago, Toronto, and more. acknowledging that it was genuinely part dictionaries. At times We went to conferences sponsored by of the English language. like this one remembers the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), We believed, however, that aside from what an uncertain whose programmers at the University of those nonce words that seem to disappear and bitter business Waterloo in Canada had been encouraged almost as soon as they arrive, new words lexicography can be.’ by the OED to share what they had learned are exactly the ones people need to look up!

Kernerman Dictionary News, July 2010 and developed about computerized editing. We wanted to make sure that we supplied 5 accurate information about new terms when so easy to accommodate the volatility of dictionary users really needed it, when a language. Words can now come out as word still sounded strange to the ear, and its easily as they go in. meaning was still clouded in mystery—not The slogan that exemplified that when it had become so familiar that there philosophy was your invention, Charles: was no longer a need to check it in a “Newer words faster!” Once again, I knew dictionary. And electronic media make it I was in the right place.

chi•me•ra or chi•mae•ra /kɪˈmɪər ə, kaɪ-/ chim′ney pot`, n. an earthenware or Sample entries of Random n., pl. -ras. metal pipe atop a chimney, esp. to increase House Webster’s College 1. (often cap.) a monster of classical myth, the draft and disperse smoke. □ cano da Dictionary with Brazilian commonly represented with a lion’s head, a chaminé Portuguese semi-bilingual goat’s body, and a serpent’s tail. □ quimera [1820–30] 2. any horrible or grotesque imaginary chim′ney sweep` (or sweep`er), n. translations—work in creature. □ quimera a person whose work it is to clean the soot progress. 3. a fancy or dream. □ quimera fantasia from the insides of chimneys. □ limpador Brazilian Portuguese 4. an organism composed of two or more de chaminé, limpadora de chaminé translation team led by genetically distinct tissues. □ quimera [1605–15] Christiane Jost. [1350–1400; ME < L chimaera < Gk chimp /tʃɪmp/ n. a chimpanzee. □ chipanzé chímaira she-goat; akin to ON gymbr, E [1875–80; by shortening] gimmer ewe-lamb one year (i.e., one winter) chim•pan•zee /ˌtʃɪm pænˈzi, tʃɪmˈpæn zi/ n. old, L hiems winter (see HIEMAL )] a large anthropoid ape, Pan troglodytes, of chi•mere /tʃɪˈmɪər, ʃɪ-/ also chim•er equatorial Africa, having a dark coat and a /ˈtʃɪm ər, ˈʃɪm-/ n. a loose sleeveless upper relatively bare face. □ chipanzé robe, as of a bishop. □ vestes corais murça [1730–40; presumably < a Bantu language] [1325–75; ME chemer, chymere< AL chin /tʃɪn/ n., v. chinned, chin•ning. chimēra, of uncert. orig.] — n. chi•mer•i•cal /kɪˈmɛr ɪ kəl, -ˈmɪər-, kaɪ-/ 1. the lower extremity of the face, below also chi•mer′ic, adj. the mouth. □ queixo 1. imaginary. □ quimérico, quimérica 2. the prominence of the lower jaw. □ queixo imaginário, imaginária — v.t. 2. highly unrealistic. □ quimérico, 3. to grasp an overhead bar and pull quimérica irreal fantástico, fantástica (oneself) upward until the chin is above or [1630–40] level with the bar: done as an exercise. — chi•mer′i•cal•ly, adv. □ quimericamente □ fazer barra chi•mi•chan•ga /ˌtʃɪm iˈtʃɑŋ gə/ n., pl. -gas. 4. to raise or hold to the chin, as a violin. a deep-fried flour tortilla rolled around a □ segurar com o queixo filling, as of meat, and served with guacamole, — v.i. salsa, cheese, etc. □ chimichanga 5. Slang. to chatter. □ tagarelar [< MexSp, trinket, trifle] conversar Chim•kent /tʃɪmˈkɛnt/ n. a city in S — Idiom. Kazakhstan. 397,600. □ Chimkent 6. keep one’s chin up, to maintain one’s chim•ney /ˈtʃɪm ni/ n., pl. -neys. courage and optimism during a period of 1. a structure, usu. vertical, containing a adversity. □ manter a esperança manter passage or flue by which the smoke, gases, o otimismo etc., of a fire or furnace are carried off. 7. take it on the chin, Informal. □ chaminé a. to be defeated thoroughly. 2. the part of such a structure that rises b. to endure punishment stoically. above a roof. □ chaminé □ tomar na cara ser derrotado, ser 3. the smokestack or funnel of a derrotada sofrer punição locomotive, steamship, etc. □ chaminé [bef. 1000; ME; OE cin(n), c. OSkinni, OHG 4. a tube, usu. of glass, surrounding the chinni,ON kinn, Go kinnus cheek; akin to flame of a lamp. □ lamparina L gena, Gk génus chin, gnáthos jaw, Skt 5. Dial. FIREPLACE. □ lareira hánus jaw] [1300–50; ME chimenai< MF cheminee< L — chin′less, adj. □ sem queixo (camera) camīnāta (room) having a fireplace medroso, medrosa hesitante =camīn(us) (< Gk kámīnos furnace) +-āta Ch’in or Qin /tʃɪn/ n. a dynasty in ancient - ATE 1] China, 221–206 B . C ., marked by the — chim′ney•like`, adj. □ semelhante a emergence of a unified empire and the chaminé construction of much of the Great Wall of chim′ney piece`, n. MANTEL. China. □ Chin □ abóbada sobre a lareira Chin. or Chin, [1605–15] 1. China. □ China Kernerman Dictionary News, July 2010 6

The evolution of learners’ dictionaries and Merriam-Webster’s Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

Paul Bogaards

Abstract information as possible concerning idioms Since the first edition of the OALD was and syntax.” The main characteristics of this published in the 1940s, lexicography for new type of dictionary were: learners of English as a second or foreign (a) a selected vocabulary—not a language has seen tremendous changes. “complete” list of English words, but just The “Big Five” learners’ dictionaries have those elements that “the foreign student of been at the forefront of a great number of English is likely to meet in his studies up lexicographic innovations. In this paper I to the time when he enters a university”; would like to sketch the evolution of the (b) simple definitions—that is to say, monolingual learners’ dictionaries (MLDs) no traditional phrases as were up to then of English that have been published over typically found in dictionary definitions, the years. A selected vocabulary, simple but as natural descriptions of the meanings definitions, and explicit information about as possible, in order to make sure that Paul Bogaards is Editor of use are the common characteristics of this advanced learners of English would be able the International Journal of type of dictionary, but the implementation to understand them easily; Lexicography. He has taught of these features is quite varied from (c) explicit information about use, French, Applied Linguistics one dictionary to the other. The recently the dictionary being meant to be useful not and Lexicology at Leiden published Merriam-Webster’s Advanced only for reading purposes but for writing as University, and has authored Learner’s English Dictionary will be well. Dutch/French dictionaries analyzed in light of recent trends in this These three aspects are still characteristic particular field. of how learners’ dictionaries are set apart and books and papers on from all other dictionaries. But these aspects learner characteristics and have been implemented in quite different on vocabulary acquisition Keywords ways. A comparison between a page taken in a second language. His grammatical information, defining from OALD1 and the same run in the recent main research interests are vocabulary, vocabulary selection, signpost, edition of this dictionary (OALD7, 2005) the acquisition of lexical full-sentence definition, illustrations gives a good idea of the distance that has knowledge in a second been covered on the way to what Herbst and language and the use of Popp (1999) called the “Perfect Learners’ dictionaries. 1. Introduction Dictionary (?).” [email protected] The publication of the ISED in Tokyo in 1942, which was to be better known a few 2. A brief comparison between OALD1 years later as the OALD1 (1948), may be and OALD7 considered a decisive step in the creation of Figure 1 presents two columns taken from a new genre of dictionary (for more details OALD1. Figure 2 shows the same run, from concerning the early period of development pulverize to punctilious, in OALD7. What of learners’ dictionaries, see Cowie 1999). immediately catches the eye is the clearer As is well known, during three decades the presentation of the lexical units in OALD7, OALD was the only dictionary that tried to where all entries, idioms, and phrasal verbs serve foreign learners of English in special are given in blue and where all senses are ways. However, from 1978 on, when the numbered in a consistent way. It is evident first edition of LDOCE was published, also that fewer pictures are given and that the several other dictionaries having the same one that is given in OALD7 is of another, less aims have been compiled. In 1987 there was documentary or encyclopaedic nature. In the the first edition of COBUILD, followed in 2005 edition of the OALD, pronunciation 1995 by CIDE (now with the title CALD), is systematically given for the British as in 2002 by MEDAL, and, finally, in 2008 well as the American varieties of English. by MWALED. One also notices the presence of some The first edition of OALD that appeared old-fashioned words, such as puncheon, in 1948 was a photographic reprint of the Punchinello, and punctilio in OALD1, dictionary that had been published in 1942 and of modern words like pump-priming in Tokyo, with about 250 recent words and punch card (although already marked in an addendum. In the introduction, the with “in the past”) in OALD7. Finally, one general editor, A.S. Hornby, explained that easily sees that the total number of lexical the dictionary had been called “Idiomatic units treated is about fifty percent higher in and Syntactic” because the compilers had OALD7 (about sixty as compared to forty

Kernerman Dictionary News, July 2010 “made it their aim to give as much useful lexical units for OALD1). The number of 7 idiomatic expressions and phrasal verbs OALD1, definitions are mostly very short accounts for most of this difference in and often take the form of one or more near quantity. synonyms (see punch noun 2: “energy; When focusing more on details, other strong effect”). differences appear, some of which are The grammatical information has changed quite fundamental. One of the first things in important ways also. In OALD1, verbs is the number of examples given. Whereas are given with a global characterization as in OALD7 the majority of the lexical units transitive, intransitive, or both, and their This paper was written for treated have one or more examples, in use is then described with a letter and a OALD1 we find only two examples with number. These verb codes are explained the Seminar on Learner’s the second sense of pump as a verb, not in the introduction, in which a full list of Dictionaries, which was held counting the one used to illustrate the verb patterns is given, with a fair number as part of the XVII Biennial meaning of pun as a noun. of examples. In OALD7, grammatical Meeting of the DSNA at Another point is the presentation of the constructions are presented in a much more Indiana University in May senses of forms or words. In OALD1, the straightforward manner. 2009, and is reprinted from system is based on etymological grounds, What has changed in a somewhat less English Learners’ Dictionaries as is well shown in the treatment of punch. radical way is the tendency to add a kind at the DSNA 2009 (see p.19). There are three entries for this form, two of encyclopedic explanation to some for nouns and one for verbs. As the “tool definitions in order to make concepts clearer. or machine” sense is quite different from However, neither the entries that include the “drink” sense, these two etymologically such extra explanations nor the nature of the different elements are not treated in the same information are the same. In OALD1, we entry. The verbs having this same form are find this type of supplementary data in the partly treated under the first noun and partly case of pump and Punchinello, in which in the third entry, where, in addition, two some additional technical or cultural facts or three more noun senses are provided. are presented that were deemed essential for This last case shows another aspect of the audience. In OALD7, extra information the presentation: it is not always clear to is given with pumpkin, but here the what extent two definitions separated by a authors have tried to complete the concept semicolon have to be taken as two different, with information that is socioliguistically but etymologically related, senses or as two important because it is shared by all native more-or-less equivalent descriptions of one speakers. sense. The presentation of pumpkin with All these changes have been introduced two numbered senses—one for the fruit over the more than sixty years of and one for the plant—only adds to the existence of the OALD. The publication puzzlement. of competitive learners’ dictionaries has As to the definitions provided, there are been one of the motors for these quite again big differences. During the 1930s spectacular modifications. Research has and 1940s, much had been done about the played an important role as well. In the selection of vocabulary in Japan, especially sections that follow, I will discuss in more by Harold Palmer and Michael West (see detail the evolution of the three fundamental Bogaards 1994: 103 ff. for an overview), aspects distinguished above. As will become and it might have been expected that Hornby clear, every new MLD has proposed new and his collaborators would have selected elements and has provoked changes in the a special definition vocabulary. However, other MLDs. they clearly state in the introduction of OALD1 that they did not, because “the 3. The evolution of the three compilers could have no confidence that fundamental characteristics of the definition vocabulary would be known monolingual learners’ dictionaries to the prospective users of the dictionary.” Remark that this is contrary to what has 3.1 A selected vocabulary been suggested by Rundell (1998: 317). As All English MLDs are now based on the can be seen in Figure 1, words like porous, analysis of big language corpora. It is volcano, fist, or piston are used to define important to realize that it was only a bit words like pumice, pummel, and pump. more than twenty years ago that COBUILD1 In OALD7, the definition of the first sense was the first dictionary project to exploit of punch (verb) includes the word fist, but this approach. In a collection of papers it is given in capitals and is immediately that accompanied its publication (Sinclair followed by a short explanation. Indeed, 1987), the whole procedure of building up OALD7 sticks to what is called the “Oxford a corpus and extracting data from it—which 3,000,” a list of 3,000 key words that are was entirely new at the time—is explained selected in order to serve as the defining in detail. In hindsight, this approach may vocabulary and that are marked by a key in seem rather cumbersome and small-scale: the dictionary (see punch). Moreover, in the corpus included 20 million words in Kernerman Dictionary News, July 2010 8

language as is nowadays possible with the aid of huge corpora and the sophisticated techniques to analyze them (see for instance Fontenelle 2003 as well as Atkins and Rundell 2008). The availability of more and more spoken corpora and the attitude toward colloquialisms has also changed the content of these dictionaries. But the target group of the MLDs seems to have changed somewhat also. Whereas OALD1 was meant to be useful up to the time the foreign student entered university (see above), nowadays most of the MLDs seem to be aimed at university students as well, if not in the first place. They all contain a far greater number of lexical items, including academic words (from about 70,000 to about 100,000 lexical units). In addition, more expressions that are used in English-speaking countries like New Zealand, Australia, and South Africa are included, especially in CIDE and MEDAL. COBUILD1 did not only introduce a new kind of selection of the lexical material; it also debuted a totally different type of presentation. All senses and uses of a given form were given in a strict order of descending frequency. This was a radical shift away from the etymologically driven presentations that had survived in OALD and LDOCE up to that time. One of the drawbacks of this type of presentation, however, was that in longer entries the list of uniformly presented senses and uses could reach a discouraging length, and it was not clear to what extent the users were really served by this new layout (see Bogaards 1998). Nowadays all MLDs include some kind of differentiation that permits a more direct Figure 1 a page from OALD1 daily use, with another 20 million words access to particular lexical units. In its third coming from more specialized texts. But it edition LDOCE (1995) has introduced was groundbreaking, and it was bound to set “signposts,” simple words or phrases that new standards—not only for MLDs but also should easily evoke the type of meaning a for dictionaries as such all over the world. It user is looking for. In the same year, CIDE is this renewed contact with language data presented a system of “guide words,” that leads to the discovery of senses and which try to catch the gist of a cluster of uses of words that had been overlooked up senses and uses. The latter presentation, to then (and to the outdating of old ones where a form such as bank has five entries that were no longer in use), to a better and like eight, is based on semantic (and representation of idioms and collocations, therefore partly etymological) principles: all and to the introduction of more authentic derivatives are presented in the context of examples. the sense that is treated in a specific entry Up to that time MLDs (that is, OALD (e.g., the verb bank in the financial sense and LDOCE) had been compiled by under bank organization). This system has experienced language teachers like A.S. not changed in the newer edition, known as Hornby and P. Procter on the basis of CALD2. OALD has followed in its sixth existing general-purpose dictionaries. These edition (2000) with the introduction of compilers were, quite rightly, supposed to “shortcuts,” words or phrases that show the know what was essential and helpful for their context or the general meaning of a lexical students, and they did whatever they could unit. MEDAL (2002 and 2007) has a system to present and explain authentic English to where menus are given for all forms having them. It goes without saying that they were more than five senses or uses, but different

Kernerman Dictionary News, July 2010 not able to give as faithful an image of the grammatical classes are systematically 9 treated in separate entries. In order to introduce the various types of lexical units covered by one form, COBUILD5 (2006) now uses menus that are intended to help navigate longer entries; these take the form of boxes summing up the core meaning of the different subentries. This dictionary opts for a grammatically based organization: a form such as like now has three subentries for “preposition and conjunction uses,” “verb uses,” and “noun uses and phrases” respectively. But homonymous nouns like bank now have separated subentries for “finance and storage” and for “areas and masses,” in which nouns and verbs are treated in the same list. So, the etymological aspect seems to be partly back. (For a comparison of these presentation features, see Bogaards 1998).

3.2 Simple definitions The first dictionary to adopt a defining vocabulary was LDOCE1 (1978). At the end of the book, a list is presented of “the words that have been used for all the explanations…. in this dictionary, except those words in small capital letters.” As is well known, however, the general policy that was established in this way was a far cry from what was found in practice (cf. Bogaards 1996: 289 ff.). In some cases, words not belonging to the about 2,000 selected items were used in definitions without being marked by small capital letters. In other cases, elements included in the list were used in meanings that were not necessarily very familiar to the users. In addition, words were constructed with the use of elements such as prefixes and affixes that were in the list, but these did not always seem to be easily understood by the users. Moreover, combinations of elements such as idiomatic expressions and phrasal verbs were to be found in a way that did not always help the non-native learners in their struggle with unknown words. The list of defining elements has been refined in different ways in later editions. In LDOCE3, for instance, it was stated that only the most common (CALD), or as belonging to the highest Figure 2 a page from OALD7 and central meanings of the words in the “frequency bands” (COBUILD). Although list were used, so as to exclude less frequent there is a big overlap in the contents of these senses of frequent words. In addition, in the lists, there are also noticeable differences more recent editions, the number of prefixes that are not always due to the various and affixes (rather extensive in the first numbers of elements that are contained in edition) has been cut down. Phrasal verbs the lists (cf. Bogaards 2008). are used only as far as these have been Another innovation in defining meanings explicitly included in the list, e.g., look was introduced by COBUILD1 in the form after, look for, and look sth up. of full-sentence definitions. Several types Other learners’ dictionaries have followed of complete sentences were adopted for this new trend. In the most recent editions the various word classes and adapted to of the “Big Five,” we find defining the particular word to be defined. This vocabularies that are described as sets of approach is much nearer to what people do “important words” (OALD7), “common when they are asked to define a word in words” (MEDAL), “essential words” real life and it makes it possible to evoke Kernerman Dictionary News, July 2010 10

a normal context for each lexical unit. It is etc.). One can wonder what the importance Dictionaries evident that this way of defining is quite of this type of illustration in MLDs may be. space consuming, however, and it may COBUILD is the only MLD that does not CALD2 = Walter, E. sometimes be laborious for the user who have any illustration in the A–Z section; it (ed.) 2005. Cambridge has to read a lot of text before getting to has introduced a full-color section only in Advanced Learner’s the right meaning. This may, moreover, the latest edition (COBUILD5). Dictionary. (2nd edition.) distract them from the (reading) task they When introducing the first defining Cambridge: Cambridge were executing and may, therefore, be too vocabulary in LDOCE1, the authors have University Press. big an investment (cf. Bogaards 1996: 292). used the list not only for making definitions, CALD3 = Walter, E. Other dictionaries have taken up the idea but also for writing examples. The other (ed.) 2008. Cambridge of full-sentence definitions, but in a less MLDs have not followed this innovation. Advanced Learner’s radical way. CIDE used it fairly often, but COBUILD1, with its principled approach to Dictionary. (3rd edition.) it has been applied less frequently in CALD; linguistic reality as found in the corpus, gave Cambridge: Cambridge MEDAL uses this type of definition rather examples only as they were literally found University Press. rarely (cf. Rundell 2006). Anyhow, probably in the materials that made up the corpus. CALDO = Cambridge thanks to the “COBUILD revolution,” the Although these were much more convincing Advanced Learner’s defining styles in all MLDs have become in most cases than the constructed examples Dictionary Online. less awkward and more transparent. that were provided in the older editions of 2007. http://dictionary. As the introduction of a defining OALD and LDOCE, they had two serious cambridge.org/. vocabulary in LDOCE1 made the drawbacks. The first was that quite often CIDE = Procter, P. (ed.) definitions more comprehensible, other words were introduced that were 1995. Cambridge illustrations were used in a different way. not only unknown to most of the users but International Dictionary In OALD1, illustrations had been supplied were, in addition, not always explained in of English. Cambridge: with lexical units for which “definition in the dictionary itself. Secondly, some of the Cambridge University easy, common words was not practicable realistic examples referred to contexts that Press. or satisfactory” (Introduction p. iv). In could be unknown to the users who did COBUILD1 = Sinclair, LDOCE1, entries like puma or pumpkin not share the same cultural background, or J. and Hanks, P. (eds.) contained no drawings, but they had they lost much of their impact because the 1987. Collins COBUILD references to illustrations that were given context in which they were originally used English Language elsewhere. In OALD1, this had been done was lacking (cf. Bogaards 1996: 299). Dictionary. Glasgow: only for words used in sports and music In all MLDs, examples are now based on Collins. “because all over the world to-day Western corpus materials. However, the examples are COBUILD2 = Hanks, games and music are very popular” (ibid.). screened for comprehensibility outside the P. (ed.) 1995. Collins All the drawings in LDOCE1 were of an original context as well as for the presence COBUILD English encyclopedic, rather than technical nature, of “difficult” words, and they are shortened Dictionary. (2nd edition.) such as “respiratory and circulatory or otherwise adapted so as to serve most Birmingham: Collins. system,” “sea mammals,” or “castle.” effectively in a dictionary for non-native COBUILD3 = Sinclair, Each black-and-white plate was given learners. J. (ed.) 2000. Collins at the alphabetical place of its title and COBUILD English presented a number of items belonging to 3.3 Explicit information about use Dictionary for Advanced a class or a context, which made it possible The evolution of syntactical information, Learners. (3rd edition.) to better recognize the specifics of each especially that attached to verbs, has been London: HarperCollins. element (e.g., guitar, violin, sitar, and cello described by Cowie (1999) and by Bogaards COBUILD4 = Sinclair, in the case of “stringed instruments”), but and van der Kloot (2001). From a fairly J. (ed.) 2003. Collins also served as a means to find words that incomplete and abstruse system of verb codes COBUILD Advanced were unknown to the user or that had been as given in OALD1, this type of indication Learner’s English forgotten. has evolved to far more straightforward data Dictionary. (4th edition.) This approach has been adopted by the that are given in an explicit way. Whereas Glasgow: HarperCollins. other MLDs. In most cases the plates are now in OALD1, pump as a verb is marked as COBUILD5 = Sinclair, presented in separate, full-color sections. In “(P 1, 7, 10, 18)” for the first sense, we J. (ed.) 2006. Collins LDOCE4, however, we still find plates, now find in OALD7 a number of examples, COBUILD Advanced in color, on the A–Z pages of the dictionary. each of which is preceded by quite simple English Dictionary. As has been seen (Figure 2), OALD7 codes like [VN] or [VN-AD] (see Figures (5th edition.) Glasgow: sometimes adds illustrations to specific 1 and 2). Other MLDs have more or less HarperCollins. lexical units. It also has classes of items in equivalent, relatively transparent coding COBUILD6 = Sinclair, black-and-white plates accompanying one systems. For the same sense of pump we J. (ed.) 2008. Collins of the items belonging to the class or context find, for instance, in CALD2: [T usually COBUILD Advanced (e.g., “chain,” “thread,” “string,” and “rope” + adv or prep] and in COBUILD5, where Dictionary. (6th edition.) at rope). MEDAL also follows this policy. this type of information is given in the extra London: HarperCollins. This is also the case for CALD, but in this column next to each example: “V n with dictionary we find many “tables” illustrating adv,” “V n prep,” “V n” and “V.” MEDAL2 the various senses of a given word, like ring has gone a step further in simplifying the (on a finger, ring road, boxing ring, etc.) or grammatical information given with verbs.

Kernerman Dictionary News, July 2010 pipe (water pipe, tobacco pipe, organ pipe, In this dictionary, most verbs are classified 11 only as transitive (marked with a [T]) or only rarely treated or mentioned as well. intransitive (marked with an [I]), whereby Collocations, which are essential for a user ISED = Hornby, A.S., the use of other explicit grammatical who wants to produce “natural” English, Gatenby, E.V. and terminology is avoided. The examples are are also lacking. Throw a punch and land a Wakefield, H. (eds.) supposed to give all the other information punch, which are given in bold in OALD7, 1942. Idiomatic and . that is needed to use the items correctly. are missing in OALD1 The same goes for Syntactic English It is as yet unclear what type of grammatical phrasal verbs. Dictionary. Tokyo: information or which particular form of Kaitakusha. [Also presentation of this information best serves 3.4 Conclusions referred to as OALD1.] the non-native users of the MLDs. What What this brief overview of the development LDOCE1 = Procter, P. seems to be important, in any case, is the of MLDs makes clear is that all aspects of (ed.) 1978. Longman presence of good examples that can serve as this type of dictionary are liable to change Dictionary of models for what students want to formulate. and that many different solutions have been Contemporary English. This is what can be deduced from the proposed for the same problems over the Harlow: Pearson results of empirical research conducted by years. In most cases, the publication of a new Education. Bogaards and Van der Kloot (2002) and by MLD was something of a revolution. This LDOCE2 = Summers, Dziemianko (2006). The former researchers was, understandably, the case for OALD1, D. (ed.) 1987. add that more advanced learners may profit the first dictionary of this category. But the Longman Dictionary of also from explicitly given information appearance of a real competitor thirty years Contemporary English. on grammar, but these learners hardly later, LDOCE1, introducing a restricted (2nd edition.) Harlow: benefit from traditional codes given in defining vocabulary, was quite a shock Longman. grammatical terms. The latter author states also. A few years later, COBUILD1 not LDOCE3 = Summers, that COBUILD-style definitions may serve only introduced the use of language corpora D. (ed.) 1995. as well and that, contrary to what had been but also broke with many conventions on Longman Dictionary of found in other experiments, the information the level of defining practices and the Contemporary English. given in the extra column in COBUILD can, presentation of grammatical information. (3rd edition.) Harlow: under certain conditions, be useful. CIDE (and later CALD) experimented with Longman. As has been said above, OALD1 was first new types of semantically clustered entries, LDOCE4 = Summers, published as Idiomatic and Syntactic English trying to avoid the drawbacks of the old, D. (ed.) 2003. Dictionary. What is a bit surprising is that, etymologically founded presentation and Longman Dictionary of whereas the introduction is followed by a to underline the semantic relationships Contemporary English. section called “Notes on Syntax”—almost between words of different grammatical (4th edition.) Harlow: twenty pages long and mainly devoted to classes. Finally, MEDAL tried to exploit Pearson Education. the famous verb patterns—nothing more all the successes that had been achieved LDOCE5 = Mayor, M. (ed.) is said about idioms. One of the reasons so far. It did so in a quite satisfactory way, 2009. Longman Dictionary for this absence of any comment on idioms improving, for instance, on the clever use of Contemporary English may be that at that time it was generally of a well-chosen defining vocabulary and for Advanced Learners. thought that nothing very interesting could of defining templates as well as on the (5th edition.) Harlow: be said about language use if it was outside possibilities users have to find items they Pearson Education. the realm of grammar. So, everything that did not know or had forgotten (see Bogaards LDOCEO = Longman was outside syntax could only be listed 2003). Dictionary of and semantically explained, but, being One can say that much has been attained Contemporary English a list of basic irregularities, could hardly and that, in some aspects, more is known Online. 2007: http:// be commented on. In that view, idioms about what constitutes a good MLD than in www.ldoceonline.com/. and syntax form two opposing parts of the early days of pedagogical lexicography. MEDAL1 = Rundell, M. the language, and a dictionary would be Quite often the five existing MLDs are (ed.) 2002. Macmillan incomplete if one of these two parts was referred to as “the Big Five.” One can English Dictionary for left out. The innovative aspect of OALD1 wonder then whether a sixth MLD was Advanced Learners. was, therefore, the syntactic part, which had necessary and what this new MLD could Oxford: Macmillan to be explained in a comprehensive way. add. In the next section we will analyse Education. In contrast, the idiomatic part was a simple the MWALED in light of the evolutions MEDAL2 = Rundell, M. continuation of common practice in English sketched above. (ed.) 2007. Macmillan dictionaries. English Dictionary for Comparing OALD1 and OALD7, it can 4. Merriam-Webster’s Advanced Advanced Learners. be seen (Figures 1 and 2) that in the more Learner’s English Dictionary (2nd edition.) Oxford: recent edition idioms are clearly marked Figure 3 presents the same stretch, from Macmillan Education. (IDM)—whether they are treated in the pulverize to punctilious, as was used MWALED = Perrault, entry itself, such as those under pump for the comparison of the two editions of S.J. (ed.) 2008. . as a verb, or whether they are referred to OALD MWALED offers exactly the same Merriam-Webster’s because they are treated in other entries, as number and about the same selection of Advanced Learner’s English in the case of the four idioms listed under lexical units as OALD7. The total number Dictionary. Springfield, punch as a noun. None of these idioms of lexical units can be evaluated at about MA: Merriam-Webster. are mentioned in OALD1. What is more, 85,000, which is higher than COBUILD5 other combinations with the headwords are (about 72,000) and OALD7 (about 76,000) Kernerman Dictionary News, July 2010 12

but lower than MEDAL2 (about 91,000) type of cross-referencing is necessary and and LDOCE4 (about 100,000). helpful. Another type of cross-reference OALD1 = Hornby, The differences between the two runs is the one given under puma. The user is A.S., Gatenby, E.V. that are compared here (Figures 2 and referred to cougar, where it is said that and Wakefield, H. 3) can be considered marginal. Whereas this animal (but does the user already (eds.) 1948. Advanced OALD7 has words like pump-priming, know that it is an animal?) is also called Learner’s Dictionary. pump room and punch ball that are not “mountain lion, (US) panther, puma” London: Oxford in MWALED, the latter dictionary offers but where no definition is given—only University Press. more senses for words like pump (noun: a new cross-reference to the “picture at [Reprint of ISED.] “the act of pumping”) and punch (noun: “a CAT.” As to the placement of multi-word OALD2 = Hornby, A.S., hole made by a cutting tool or machine”) expressions, the policy does not seem to Gatenby, E.V. and than OALD7. More interestingly, be very clear. Whereas “beat (someone) to Wakefield, H.. (eds.) MWALED does not present some British the punch” and “pull punches” are treated 1963. The Advanced words or senses, like pump “sports shoe” under punch, other expressions like “(as) Learner’s Dictionary of or “plimsoll” but has more lexical units pleased as punch,” “pack a punch,” or “roll Current English. (2nd that are marked as “US,” like pumped with the punches” are treated under the edition.) London: Oxford or punchy “punch drunk.” This seems verbs they contain. University Press. to be the case in the whole of this first According to the preface, “The OALD3 = Hornby, A.S. American MLD. Items like dime store, definitions in this dictionary are written (ed.) 1974. Oxford diner “restaurant,” and dingbat can also in simple language.” There is no mention Advanced Learner’s be found in OALD7 or MEDAL, where of a restricted defining vocabulary. This Dictionary of Current they are marked as belonging to North explains why a word like fist is part of the English. (3rd edition.) American English. However, informal or definition of one of the senses of punch. In Oxford: Oxford slang items that are particular to that type the run studied here, some of the other less University Press. of English can be found only in MWALED, frequent words that are used for defining OALD4 = Cowie, A.P. (ed.) e.g., diddle or dim bulb. It is telling also purposes are grind, volcano, and rye. The 1989. Oxford Advanced that both MEDAL and OALD7 give the preface states that “Very often a word will Learner’s Dictionary of British and the American senses of dinky in be defined by a quite simple definition, Current English. (4th that order, whereas MWALED gives them followed by a definition that is perhaps edition.) Oxford: Oxford in the reverse order. In line with this, we somewhat less simple.” What is meant University Press. systematically find forms in the American is what we see at punch out 2. The first OALD5 = Crowther, spelling before their British variants (e.g., definition contains words that are part of J. (ed.) 1995. Oxford pulverize also Brit pulverise). the defining vocabularies used in other Advanced Learner’s The preface of MWALED states that “The MLDs, but after a semicolon, a second Dictionary. (5th creation of this dictionary reflects the reality definition is given that uses a phrasal verb. edition.) Oxford: Oxford that English has become an international Similar double definitions can be found University Press. language, and that American English, in with choke off 2 and marvel. Although this OALD6 = Wehmeier, particular, is now being used and studied type of definition turns up quite regularly, S. (ed.) 2000. Oxford every day by millions of people around the they don’t seem to appear “very often.” Advanced Learner’s world.” This is certainly true. However, Sometimes the difference in difficulty of Dictionary of Current this greater importance of American comprehension seems to be very small, e.g., English. (6th edition.) English cannot be taken as an excuse for at gray (adj.), which reads: “having a color Oxford: Oxford the absence of many Australian, Indian, between black and white : having a color University Press. or South African words, such as bathers that is like the color of smoke.” In other OALD7 = Wehmeier, “swimsuit,” bottler “something very good,” cases, a word appears in small capitals after S. (ed.) 2005. Oxford brumby “wild horse,” crore “ten million,” the second colon. Such words are not a part Advanced Learner’s devi “goddess,” gur “brown sugar,” spaza of the definition but refer to synonyms. For Dictionary. (7th “shop,” tsotsi “criminal,” or voorkamer reasons that are not explained, sometimes edition.) Oxford: Oxford “front room,” all of which can be found in full-sentence definitions are used, e.g., for University Press. MEDAL2, and many of which are present buy/sell a pup (under pup): “To buy a pup OALD8 = Turnbull, J. (ed.) in OALD7. means to pay too much money for something 2010. Oxford Advanced The presentation of the lexical units is or to buy something that is worthless.…” Learner’s Dictionary. based partly on etymological grounds and Illustrations have the form of on-the-spot (8th edition.) Oxford: partly on grammatical grounds. For a form line drawings. These can be found for words Oxford University Press. like pump, we find three entries: one for like mask, pulpit, or puppet, and they can OALDO = Oxford the verbal uses and two for the nouns. In the inform about other words, such as bill, wing, Advanced Learner’s latter category, the activity-related senses tail, etc. at bird. There are also plates giving Dictionary Online. 2007. are presented apart from the shoe-related drawings of different species of a category, http://www.oup.com/. senses. This type of presentation is similar like lynx, cheetah, and tiger under cat. In to CIDE and CALD. In each of the two addition, in the middle of the book there is noun entries, there is a cross-reference to a quire of full-color plates presenting colors, the other entry; this is done in a systematic vegetables, fruits, fish, birds, clothing, and way throughout the dictionary. Only so on.

Kernerman Dictionary News, July 2010 research could make clear whether this The real difference of MWALED as 13 compared to the other MLDs lies in the examples—or, more precisely, in the number of examples provided. The preface claims that “more than 160,000 usage examples” are to be found. Although this number seems to be a bit too high (my own evaluation goes up to about 140,000), MWALED really gives from about 50 percent to more than 125 percent more examples than its competitors. Most of these examples are “based on evidence of real English … [and] have been carefully written to show words being used in appropriate contexts which accurately reflect their uses in actual speech and writing” (preface). A minority of the examples are quotations taken from American and British literature. As can be seen in Figure 3, most examples are full sentences, but phrases are frequent as well. Quite often examples are explained between square brackets so as to make them perfectly clear. In some cases one may wonder whether such explanations are necessary or useful. Would anyone, knowing what a bicycle is and having understood what a pump is, need the information that “a bicycle pump” is “a small pump used for putting air in bicycle tires”? The explanation given with the second example accompanying at the pump seems to be too long. If it is necessary at all to explain the examples, something like “Expect long lines at the pumps [= at gas stations] this weekend” could be preferable. In the example provided with pumped, the information given between square brackets, “[ = pumped up]” cannot be interpreted as a clarification. Instead, it functions as a cross-reference. The grammatical information given is summary but seems to be adequate. For verbs the syntactic information is given at the highest level, which means that for a verb that is transitive in all cases, the indication “[+ obj]” is given at the level of the headword (e.g., pulverize). But this information goes down to sense level when the verb allows for various constructions (e.g., pump 5), or to example level whenever a sense can be expressed in grammatically different ways (e.g., pump 4). As a conclusion, it seems fair to say that MWALED meets all the standards that are common by now for MLDs. However, with the exception of the number of examples provided—which is far higher than what can be found in any other MLD—it does not Figure 3 a page from MWALED add new elements to this type of dictionary. This is especially surprising when one remembers that a new publishing house entered this market. Does this mean that we have reached the stadium of the “Perfect Learner’s Dictionary”? I am not convinced that the evolution of MLDs has come to its end. Kernerman Dictionary News, July 2010 14

References language teaching: English.’ In Hausmann Adamska-Sałaciak, A. 2005. ‘Longman et al. (eds.), vol. 2, 1379-1385. słownik współczesny angielsko-polski, Johnson, S. 1747. ‘The plan of a polsko-angielski: The first active bilingual dictionary.’ http://www.andromeda. dictionary for Polish learners of English.’ rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Texts/plan.html/. Kernerman Dictionary News 13: 23-26 Johnson, S. 1755. ‘Preface to the English Adamska-Sałaciak, A. 2006. Meaning and Dictionary.’ http://bartleby.com/39/27. the Bilingual Dictionary: The Case of html/. es 4 Journées allemandes English and Polish. Frankfurt am Main: Kaalep, H.-J. and Mikk, J. 2008. des dictionnaires, 2010 Peter Lang. ‘Creating specialised dictionaries for Benson, P. 2001. Teaching and Researching foreign language learners: A case study.’ The fourth international Autonomy in Language Learning. International Journal of Lexicography conference on lexicography London: Longman. 21, 4: 369-394. held in Germany in the French Burkhanov, I. 1998. Lexicography: A Dictionary of Basic Terminology. Lew, R. 2004. Which Dictionary for Whom? language is taking place at Receptive Use of Bilingual, Monolingual Klingenberg am Main on July Rzeszów: Wydawnictwo Wyższej Szkoły Pedagogicznej. and Semi-Bilingual Dictionaries by Polish 2-4, 2010. Learners of English. Poznań: Motivex. Cowie, A.P. 2009. ‘The earliest foreign The conference theme Lew, R. and Dziemianko, A. 2006. ‘A new this year is ‘Dictionaries learners’ dictionaries.’ In A.P. Cowie type of folk-inspired definition in English and Translation’, with the (ed.), 385-411. monolingual learners’ dictionaries and Cowie, A.P. (ed.) 2009. The Oxford following main axes: its usefulness for conveying syntactic History of English Lexicography. Vol. information.’ International Journal of • Historical aspects of the 2: Specialized Dictionaries. Oxford: Lexicography 19, 3: 225-242. Dictionaries-Translation Clarendon Press. Peeters, B. (ed.) 2000. The Lexicon- pair Duda, W. 1986. ‘Ein aktives Encyclopedia Interface. Oxford: • Monolingual lexicography russisch-deutsches Wörterbuch für Elsevier. and translation deutschsprachige Benutzer?.’ In E. Piotrowski, T. 1994. Problems in Bilingual • Bilingual lexicography in Lexicography. Wrocław: Wydawnictwo Günther (ed.), 9-15. the wide sense, including Uniwersytetu Wrocławskiego. Fontenelle, T. 2009. ‘Linguistic research “interlingual” monolingual Tarp, S. 2008. Lexicography in the and learners’ dictionaries: The Longman lexicography (e.g. old Borderland between Knowledge and French – contemporary Dictionary of Contemporary English.’ In Non-Knowledge. Tübingen: Max French; sign language) A.P. Cowie (ed.), 412-435. Niemeyer. Frawley, W. 1981. ‘In defense of the • Bilingual lexicography itself ‘The 21-language GlobalDix’. 2002. dictionary: A response to Haiman.’ • Translation as a Kernerman Dictionary News 10: 4. Lingua 55, 53-61. Tomaszczyk, J. 1981. ‘Issues and transposition of the Gouws, R.H. 2004. ‘Monolingual and developments in bilingual pedagogical dictionary on paper to bilingual learners’ dictionaries.’ Lexikos electronic media dictionaries.’ Applied Linguistics 2, 3: 14, 264-274. 287-296. The event is dedicated Günther, E. (ed.) 1986. Beiträge zur Tomaszczyk, J. 1983. ‘On bilingual to the memory of Henri Lexikographie slawischer Sprachen . dictionaries: The case for bilingual Meschonnic—linguist, Berlin: Akademieverlag. dictionaries for foreign language learners.’ poet and translator, who Haiman, J. 1980. ‘Dictionaries and In Hartmann (ed.), 41-51. passed away on April 8, encyclopedias.’ Lingua 50: 329-357. Tomaszczyk, J. 1984. ‘The culture-bound 2009—who presented the Haiman, J. 1982. ‘Dictionaries and element in bilingual dictionaries.’ In opening plenary in the 2008 encyclopedias again.’ Lingua 56: Hartmann (ed.), 289-297. conference (‘Cultures and 353-355. Wierzbicka, A. 1997. Understanding Lexicographies’, in honor of Halliday, M.A.K. 1978. Language as Social Cultures through Their Key Words. Alain Rey) and who inspired Semiotic. London: Edward Arnold. Oxford: Oxford University Press. the theme of the current Hartmann, R.R.K. (ed.) 1983. Zgusta, L. 2006. Lexicography Then and conference. Lexicography: Principles and Practice. Now. Tübingen: Niemeyer. This biennial meeting London – New York: Academic Press. Zöfgen, E. 1991. ‘Bilingual learner’s Hartmann, R.R.K. (ed.) 1984. LEXeter ’83 has been organized since dictionaries.’ In Hausmann et al. (eds.), Proceedings. Tübingen: Max Niemeyer. vol. 3: 2888-2903. 2004 by Michaela Heinz, Hartmann, R.R.K. and James, G. 1998. from the University of Dictionary of Lexicography. London: Erlangen-Nürnberg. Routledge. The conference proceedings Hausmann, F.-J., Reichmann, O., are published by Frank & Wiegand, H.E. and Zgusta, L. (eds.) Timme, Berlin, as part of the 1989-1991. Wörterbücher/Dictionaries/ collection Metalexicographie. Dictionnaires. Vols. 1-3. Berlin – New http://lexikographie.eu/ York: Mouton de Gruyter.

Kernerman Dictionary News, July 2010 Herbst, T. 1990. ’Dictionaries for foreign 15

Anatoly Liberman. An Analytic Dictionary of English Etymology: An Introduction

Preliminaries According to the author (Liberman 2005b: The volume under review is the first 161–162), the etymological dictionaries of installment and a sample volume of An English published before the mid-19th century Analytic Dictionary of English Etymology, tended to be analytic, whereas practically all whose publication is due to follow. The published ever since have been dogmatic, dictionary is based on a research project including the fourth edition of Skeat and initiated by Anatoly Liberman in 1987. the OED, the peaks of English etymology Of course, it is not the first product of according to him. Early dictionaries were the author’s work on English etymology. prescientific, and therefore part of being He has published several articles on a careful etymologist was to list all the methodology, which prepare the ground for hypotheses that the author was aware of. the forthcoming dictionary (e.g. Liberman Later scholars became equipped with the 1994, 2000, 2002b, and 2005a), as well strong methodological tool called sound as studies on particular words, which laws, which made them more self-conscious disclose some of his results (e.g. Liberman than conscientious. 2001, 2002a, and 2007). Moreover, he The aim of the new publication is to has published a valuable introduction to introduce the concept of the analytic An Analytic Dictionary of methodology in etymological research dictionary of etymology, formulate the English Etymology: An aimed at the lay reader (Liberman 2005b). methodology used for the research and Last but not least, the present newsletter advertise the merits of the forthcoming Introduction has witnessed publication of five sample dictionary by the presentation of 55 sample Anatoly Liberman entries—fag, heather, lass, ragamuffin, and entries. University of Minnesota Press, stubborn—from the forthcoming dictionary, 2009 accompanying the author’s survey of The structure of the volume ISBN 978-0-8166-5272-3 problems related to producing it (Liberman The volume under review consists of the 2006). Nevertheless, the reviewed volume following sections: 1. Contents (p. vii); is the first work released under the official 2. Abbreviations of Linguistic Terms title of the project. and Names of Languages (pp. ix–x); 3. The idea for the new dictionary rests on the Introduction: The Purpose and Content of a premise that etymological dictionaries fall New Dictionary of English Etymology (pp. into two categories: analytic and dogmatic. xi–xxxii); 4. The Etymologies at a Glance Within the first group we find, for example, (xxxiii–xlvi); 5. An Analytic Dictionary the dictionaries by Feist and Lehmann of English Etymology (pp. 1–231); 6. (GED), Vasmer (REW), or von Wartburg Bibliography (pp. 233–312); 7. Index of (FEW). An entry in such a dictionary Subjects (pp. 313–316); 8. Index of Words features a critical survey of derivations (317–348); 9. Index of Personal and Place suggested so far, supported by references Names (pp. 349–359). to relevant literature and concluded with The introduction begins with a survey of the author’s final verdict on whether any opinions on the purpose and methodology hypothesis is more convincing than others. behind the production of an etymological Dogmatic dictionaries usually present dictionary. This is followed by a discussion etymologies as either firmly established of the choice of words and the number and (i.e. with only one possible derivation) or type of borrowings to be included. All completely unknown (with the commentary the aspects are illustrated by the author’s frequently reduced to the statement ‘of critical overview of English etymological obscure/unknown origin’). No discussion dictionaries. Worthy of special attention or alternatives are offered, nor any literature are the author’s methodological principles cited. In the former case the reader has (pp. xxv–xxvi; also cf. a similar, though not to believe the solution that is provided, identical, list in Liberman 2005b), which whereas in the latter he or she is left with the have a direct bearing on the treatment of impression that nothing can be nor has been words in the dictionary section. said of the word in question. The reason for As its title suggests, the section entitled such a situation is the misconception that an ‘The Etymologies at a Glance’ provides brief etymological dictionary is meant for a mass summaries of the etymologies discussed in audience rather than for specialists (see the the dictionary. However, the number of introduction to the work under review, summaries is larger than the number of especially pp. xi–xiii), thus scholarly entries featured in the dictionary section. discussion is considered too technical by This is a consequence of the author’s the authors and is eliminated. approach to etymology, which involves Kernerman Dictionary News, July 2010 16

identifying families of related words that volume of the forthcoming dictionary is that can be explained in a single hypothesis. it indeed promises a major improvement Certain words are sifted out in the process compared with many of its predecessors, and interpreted in alternative ways. Thus especially those devoted to English. ‘The Etymologies at a Glance’ provides The list of entries given above points to a convenient summary of the major word the unique character of the dictionary. At forms discussed in the dictionary, whether first sight, the selection may seem random, they appear as separate entries or are as the list includes a wide diversity of discussed only as part of another entry. words. Some are of high frequency, while As mentioned above, the dictionary others are rare, or even obsolete. There section contains only 55 entries, but are some colloquialisms as well as slang considering that they occupy 230 pages, and dialectal words. They also differ in the average entry is 4 pages long with age, with some of them attested since Old two columns of text per page. The longest English (e.g. bird, dwarf, heifer, slowworm, one, dwarf, is 12 pages long, whereas the yet) and others coined fairly recently (jeep, shortest, drab, occupies about three quarters lilliputian). What they all have in common of a page. Each entry begins with a brief is the difficulty they pose to scholars summary and description of its content. The seeking to explain their origin. Such words most important points are highlighted using are usually shrugged off with the phrase bold font. Each entry has its own structure “origin obscure/unknown” in etymological determined by the problems posed by the dictionaries of English. By choosing these word(s) discussed in it. words the author highlights several blanks PASSWORD Given the small number of entries, I will of English etymology and attempts to English Dictionary for allow myself to list them here. These are: fill them in using a careful methodology. Speakers of Portuguese adz(e), beacon, bird, boy, brain, chide, Even if no satisfactory conclusions can be + ePASSWORD CD-ROM clover, cob, cockney, cub, cushat, doxy, drab, reached, a valuable starting point for future 2nd Edition dwarf, eena, ever, fag/fag(g)ot, fieldfare, research is established, which is what a good filch, flatter, fuck, gawk, girl, heather, etymological dictionary should constitute. MARTINS EDITORA heifer, hemlock, henbane, hobbledehoy, Inclusion of such words in the sample LIVRARIA horehound, ivy, jeep, key, kitty-corner, lad, volume was a good choice for yet another São Paulo, Brazil lass, lilliputian, man, mooch, nudge, oat, reason. It is exactly such cases that reveal June 2010 pimp, rabbit, ragamuffin, robin, skedaddle, with the utmost clarity the inadequacies of 792 pages, 195 x 130 mm slang, slowworm, strumpet, stubborn, toad, the etymological dictionaries that the author Paperback + CD traipse, trot, understand, witch, and yet. has been highlighting in his publications. It ISBN 978-85-33621-374 The list in the Index of Subjects features seems reasonable to present the advantages http://martinsmartinsfontes. references to the linguistic topics discussed of a new methodology on the basis of the com.br/ in the dictionary, references to word groups data that helped shape it. Of course, as a http://kdictionaries.com/ according to their semantics (e.g. diseases consequence of that, discussion of some products/medium/pwbr.html refers the reader to column 52a containing words will be familiar to those who have examples of words denoting diseases been following these publications. In probably related to dwarf), and lists of fact, the careful reader may occasionally From the series entries where various kinds of relationship recognise certain passages repeated without KERNERMAN SEMI- between words are mentioned (e.g. “words major changes, although the author writes in BILINGUAL DICTIONARIES (allegedly) borrowed from Arabic”). his introduction that none of the etymologies The Index of Words includes “over 6000 were left intact and the new entries “cancel” words in over 80 languages and periods” his earlier publications. (p. 317). Alphabetic lists of word forms It is in terms of the content of the entries are grouped according to the period in that the dictionary reveals its incomparable the history of a given language in reverse character. Each entry features an extensive chronology (e.g. Modern English precedes overview of all the etymologies of the word Middle English precedes Old English) and and related forms in English offered so language names are arranged into language far, as well as an exhaustive discussion of families. their putative Germanic or Indo-European The Index of Personal and Place Names cognates. This means not only references includes not only personal and place names to the etymological dictionaries for the but also other kinds of proper names that relevant languages but, more importantly, occur in the entries, such as titles of literary a remarkable array of other sources, ranging works (e.g. the Eddas, Germania etc.). from widely known articles to footnotes in obscure journals whose availability Evaluation frequently verges on the impossible. Access The author’s assumption is that the writing of to these sources has been made possible by a new dictionary of etymology is a sensible two decades of research conducted as part of enterprise as long as it makes advances in the project. The author’s aim was to include

Kernerman Dictionary News, July 2010 the discipline. The main asset of the sample all the information ever written or printed 17 about each word, and judging from his According to it, sound correspondences meticulous references it is easy to believe are decisive in the majority of cases, but he has achieved this. This approach enables occasionally language forms result from the author to acknowledge the original ludic formations based on onomatopoeia or proponents of certain hypotheses, whether sound symbolism, which are seldom subject correct or fanciful (previous authors of to regular sound change. The suggested English etymological dictionaries did balance, which does not undermine the not bother to mention their sources) and basis of historical linguistics, does justice to trace the development of the research into the prescientific tradition in etymology, not the history of each word. Moreover, he equipped in sound laws, which nevertheless manages to salvage numerous forgotten was also capable of producing creative but inspiring ideas which cast a new light results. What the author seems to be onto the problematic words (cf. e.g. various suggesting is that sound correspondences are etymologies of Germanic words for ‘brain’ the indispensable framework for historical on p. 21, or the ingenious suggestion linguistics, but at the same time they may discussed on pp. 54–58 and originally made confine the scholar’s imagination (although by Kluge [EWDS1: Zwerg] that the -r- in one should remember that there also exist the Germanic words for ‘dwarf’ is a product scholars whose imagination is not restricted of rhotacism). by any sound laws, and the results are not The author is not only a mere reporter the desired ones; some of these scholars are of what he has read. He offers critical mentioned and criticised by the author). A remarks on the cited derivations and good illustration of this principle are the supplements them with his own ideas. entries boy (words in various languages of ITALIENSK ORDBOK His approach to etymology rests not only the shape b/p + vowel + stop and denoting Italiensk-Norsk / on his outstanding expertise in Germanic an object of fear) as well as cockeney Norsk-Italiensk linguistics but also on a number of and ragamuffin (both discuss neological VEGA FORLAG methodological principles outlined in his compounds built around unetymological Oslo, Norway introduction, an idea reminiscent of Skeat’s -a-). June 2010 cannons of etymology (see e.g. the fourth The balance between constituent parts edition of Skeat: xxviii–xxix). Writers of of the dictionary is perhaps unusual. 1,258 pages, 210 x 145 mm etymological dictionaries seldom formulate Nearly half of the volume is devoted to the Paperback + CD their theoretical assumptions explicitly and introduction, the summary of etymologies, ISBN 978-82-82111-331 it was a very fortunate decision on the part and the indexes. The introduction may http://vegaforlag.no/ of the author to do so. Let us have a closer seem especially lengthy, but it should http://kdictionaries.com/ look at three of these principles which, in be remembered that the volume is not a products/medium/itno.html my view, have the strongest impact on the self-contained entity: as the full title suggests entries. it is an introduction to the dictionary proper, The first two principles state that an whose publication will hopefully follow etymologist has to identify all the cognates soon. The section entitled ‘Etymologies at of the word in question in the target language a Glance’ may seem redundant, as similar and in related languages and attempt to summaries are offered at the beginning of explain them by a single etymology (cf. each entry. However, unlike the latter, the also Skeat’s Canon 10). This means that the former features words that do not constitute entries in the new dictionary often discuss separate entries and are only mentioned in clusters of look-alikes in order to assess the other entries. probability that they are related (see e.g. Given the author’s approach to etymology fuck for Germanic words of the structure and his discussion of clusters rather than f(l/r) + vowel + stop, and nudge for various single words, indexes are indispensable. gn-, kn-, hn- and sn- words). In doing so The Index of Subjects, not a very typical the author makes use of the full repertoire feature in an etymological dictionary, of Germanic and Indo-European linguistics may prove very useful for drawing to make original comparisons (e.g. cob is valuable examples of various phenomena compared with English sheaf ~ German frequently encountered in etymology such Schober etc., which could be interpreted as migratory words, sound symbolism or as a form with s-mobile; cf. also dwarf, vowel alternations due to ablaut or false which features a clever elaboration on ablaut. Interestingly, this index also contains Kluge’s proposal, see above). In traditional a list of references to examples of pairs of alphabetically arranged dictionaries such vowels in Germanic being incompatible due relationships, whether hypothetical or to ablaut violation: given the high frequency factual, may only be expressed through of these curious pairs, this seems to be a cross-references, which does not contribute suggestion for future research. to the clarity of the picture. The dictionary is written in a lively, The sixth principle has equally strong sometimes humorous manner. The author bearing on the author’s etymologies. presents his views in a clear way. His Kernerman Dictionary News, July 2010 18

criticism is frequently quite sharp and American Slang is six times referred to as witty, which should not surprise those RHHDAS (in jeep) and twice as HDAS who are familiar with the author’s earlier (cols. 87a and 189b; this abbreviation is not publications, but it always concerns the explained in the bibliography). Elsewhere subject matter, i.e. etymology. it is always RHHDAS. The entries have clear structure, although A comment is needed concerning the it is useful to reread certain passages several transliteration of Russian and Old Slavic. times not to lose track of the various threads It seems to me that choosing one consistent CHINALEX 2011 of the argument, due to the multitude of system for both of them would be a better The Bilingual Committee of word forms discussed and names of idea. The one used for Old Slavic seems a the Lexicographical Society scholars mentioned. The feat of putting in natural choice, as it is the standard among of China (Chinalex) will order all these minute details and drawing the majority of Slavists. The words are not hold the 2nd International creative conclusions from them is indeed numerous, but the inconsistent spelling Symposium on Lexicography remarkable and the author should be praised of two cognates, Old Slavic ešče and and L2 Teaching & Learning at for being successful. He is in full control of Russian eshche obscures the fact that the Sichuan International Studies his material, and never misses interesting pronunciation of the former most probably comments on the links between the words was very similar to the latter. University in Chongqing on he discusses even if he highlights them November 5-7, 2010. with caution (see e.g. his comment on the Conclusion http://bilex.gdufs.edu.cn/ probable Scandinavian origin of cater-, The reviewed volume provides an clumsy, awkward, and gawky on p. 134). interesting foretaste of the forthcoming On several occasions he offers elucidating dictionary. It combines the best features ASIALEX 2011 digressions on secondary issues such as of the dictionaries which the author gives The 7th biennial conference Germanic mythology or passages from as his models with results of twenty years of the Asian Association for Shakespeare (see e.g. entries on dwarf and of meticulous research. Let us hope that Lexicography (Asialex) will cockney). the publication of the final work proceeds be held in Kyoto, Japan on Perhaps it would be a good idea to precede without obstacles. If it follows the trend August 22-24, 2011. the discussion of each word with a list of initiated in its sample entries, it is going meanings in which it occurs in modern use. to surpass its predecessors and establish a http://asialex.org/ Their development is discussed within the very high standard for publications of this entry itself, but it would be convenient for kind. speakers of languages other than English to have a general idea about the word’s Bibliography semantics before they start reading the Berneker, E. 1899. ‘Von der Vertretung entry. des idg. ē̆u im baltisch-slavischen It is impossible to avoid mistakes in a Sprachzweig’. Indogermanische work of this complexity. To be sure, those Forschungen 10: 145–64. that I have been able to identify are of minor FEW = von Wartburg, W. (ed.) 1934. significance. Moreover, the selection does Französisches etymologisches not pretend to be exhaustive and features Wörterbuch. Leipzig, Berlin: Verlag B. only those errors I was able to spot in a G. Teubner. random survey. I allow myself to list them GED = Feist. S. (ed.) 1986. A Gothic here. I have identified four factual errors. Etymological Dictionary, (4th edition.) Polish figli (col. 83a) is actually the genitive by Winfred P. Lehman. Leiden: Brill. plural, the nominative singular is figiel, Liberman, A. 1994. ‘An Analytic Dictionary whereas the nominative plural is figle. Col. of English Etymology’ in Dictionaries 99b seems to suggest that Polish garlica is 15: 1–2­9. a misspelling for gardlica, but both forms Liberman, A. 2000. ‘An Etymologist at exist (see e.g. SP VIII: 278). In col. 229a Work’ in De consolatione philologiae: the author quotes Berneker, who allegedly Studies in Honor of Evelyn S. Firchow, gives the Polish form nedaktóry (the same eds. Anna Grotans, Heinrich Beck and form is listed in the index to the reviewed Anton Schwob. Göppingen: 639–652. dictionary as nedaktory). This is a misprint Liberman, A. 2001. ‘The Etymology of for the Polish dialectal niedaktóry and Some Germanic, Especially English, Plant Berneker cites the correct form (1899: 157). Names (Henbane, Hemlock, Horehound)’ Finally, the Middle English text Ayenbite in Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual of Inwit is a prose work and not a poem as UCLA Indo-European Conference, Los suggested in col. 76b. Angeles, May 26–28, 2000, eds. Martin E. The remaining errors are technical in Huld et al. JIES-MS 40: 132–146. character. Two Polish words are wrongly Liberman, A. 2002a. ‘English ivy and indexed. Fukać and the erroneous figli occur German Epheu in Their Germanic in cols. 81b and 83a respectively, not in col. and Indo-European Context’ in 89b. In the main body of the dictionary Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual

Kernerman Dictionary News, July 2010 Random House Historical Dictionary of UCLA Indo-European Conference, Los 19

Angeles, November 9–10, 2001, eds. Karlene Jones-Bley et al. JIES-MS 44: 129–144. English Learners’ Dictionaries at the DSNA 2009 Liberman, A. 2002b. ‘Origin Unknown’ in Studies in the History of the English Introduction Language: A Millennial Perspective, eds. ❘ Ilan J. Kernerman Donka Minkova and Robert Stockwell. Berlin: 109–123. The evolution of learners’ dictionaries and Merriam-Webster’s Liberman, A. 2005a. ‘Some Principles Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary of Etymological Lexicography ❘ Paul Bogaards and Etymological Analysis’. Interdisciplinary Journal of Germanic I've heard so much about you: Introducing the native-speaker Linguistics and Semiotic Analysis 10.2: lexicographer to the learner’s dictionary 159–176. ❘ Wendalyn Nichols Liberman, A. 2005b. Word Origins: …and How We Know Them. Oxford: Oxford From the ground up: Making a new learner’s dictionary from University Press. scratch Liberman, A. 2006. ‘What does it take ❘ Peter Sokolowski to write a new English etymological dictionary today?’. Kernerman Three collegiate dictionaries: A comparison of reading Dictionary News 14: 4–9. comprehension test scores for university students using Liberman, A. 2007. ‘English lad, MWCD11, AHD4, and NOAD2 Male Genitals, Hamlet, and Three ❘ Don R. McCreary Scandinavian Mythological Names’. Именослов – Историчекая семантика FEARful words in learners’ dictionaries имени 2: 29–35. ❘ Henri Béjoint OED1 = Murray, A.H. et al. (ed.) 1884–1928. The Oxford English Folk defining strategies vs comprehension of dictionary Dictionary, (1st edition.). Oxford: definitions: An empirical study Clarendon Press. ❘ Mateusz Fabiszewsky-Jaworsky and Marta Grochocka OED2 = Simpson, J.A., and E.S.C. Weiner. (eds.) 1992. The Oxford English Corpus, lexicography, and language learners Dictionary, (2nd edition.). Oxford: ❘ Mari Carmen Campoy-Cubillo Oxford University Press. REW = Vasmer, M. 1950–1958. Russisches Why we need bilingual learners’ dictionaries etymologisches Wörterbuch. Heidelberg: ❘ Arleta Adamska-Sałaciak Carl Winter. Skeat4 = Skeat, W.W. (ed.) 1910. An Writing a bilingual learner’s dictionary: A case study of Kirundi Etymological Dictionary of the English ❘ Theodora Bofman, Jeanine Ntihirageza and Paul Prez Language. Oxford: Clarendon Press. SP VIII = Sławski F. et al. (ed.) 2001. EFL dictionary evolution: Innovations and drawbacks Słownik prasłowiański vol. VIII. ❘ Shigeru Yamada Wrocław – Warszawa – Kraków: Wydawnictwo PAN. What future for the learner’s dictionary? ❘ Michael Rundell Mateusz Urban Instytut Filologii Angielskiej, Uniwersytet Appendixes Jagielloński, Kraków Dictionaries and their abbreviations [email protected] Keyword index Biographical notes

Editors: Ilan J. Kernerman and Paul Bogaards Paperback, 186 pages, 210 x 135 mm ISBN 978-965-90207-2-0 K Dictionaries, Tel Aviv, June 2010

PAPERS ON LEXICOGRAPHY AND DICTIONARIES ❘ 2 Kernerman Dictionary News, July 2010 PAPERS ON LEXICOGRAPHY AND DICTIONARIES | 2

English Learners’ Dictionaries at the DSNA 2009

Editors Ilan J. Kernerman | Paul Bogaards

English Learners’ Dictionaries at the DSNA 2009 consists of nine papers discussed at the Seminar on Learner’s Dictionaries, held as part of the Dictionary Society of North America XVII Biennial Meeting at Indiana University on May 29, 2009, as well as two related papers delivered during the conference. The seminar coincided with the rising interest in learners’ dictionaries in the United States and presented the first such debate by local and international scholars and practitioners. This volume brings together some of the main issues concerning English pedagogical lexicography for the first time in some years. See p19.

K DICTIONARIES LTD Nahum 8 Tel Aviv 63503 Israel ı Tel 972-3-5468102 ı Fax 972-3-5468103 ı [email protected] ı http://kdictionaries.com