Showing papers in "International Journal of Lexicography in 2020"

Informing Lexicographic Choices Through Corpus and Perceptual Data

Abstract: Lexicographers make many choices when compiling dictionary entries. Data-driven approaches can better inform such decisions. This paper proposes integration of two such sources, corpus data and perceptual survey data. A survey was distributed to 100 native speakers of English. Participants were asked to provide a definition and example sentence for 18 polysemous English words. After providing definitions, participants were presented with five definitions and asked to rank them by importance. Patterns in the rankings were analyzed to see what factors predicted higher ratings. Frequency was found to predict rankings, while concreteness was also shown to be moderate a predictor and have a potentially strong effect on certain words. Part of speech was not found to be a significant predictor of rank. Results suggest that crowdsourcing may be useful for certain linguistic tasks and that both corpus and perceptual data can be useful in making lexicographic choices.

New Words and New Forms of Linguistic Purism in the 21st Century: The Italian Debate

Abstract: Unlike communities of speakers of other Romance languages such as French and Spanish, it has often been noticed that many Italian speakers are not particularly concerned by the inflow of foreign (mainly English) words. One reason for this, according to some scholars, is that standard Italian does not stir up linguistic identity for many native users, while English enjoys great prestige as the international language. In this paper, positions on neologisms of foreign origin are illustrated, using recently updated monolingual Italian dictionaries and also comments on neologisms collected from blogs and websites. Although they have a different status and degree of representativeness, the latter respond faster than dictionaries to doubts concerning the use of loans in Italian texts.

Slipping Through the Cracks in e-Lexicography

Abstract: Despite the remarkable advances made in recent years to facilitate the lexicographer’s work of interpreting and synthesizing the complexity of language uncovered by corpora, an uncritical use of cutting-edge corpus tools and resources can instill a false sense of assurance. In this paper, authentic examples pertaining to wordlist use, collocation research and example selection that arose when compiling a real-world lexical database are discussed through the lens of problems that can easily slip through the cracks in e-lexicography. In doing so, we emphasize the importance of solid training and sound lexicographic judgment when using corpora, corpus tools and corpus-derived resources, and provide an opportunity to reflect on how e-lexicography can be further refined in the future.

Considerations on the Acceptance of German neologisms from the 1990s

Abstract: Are borrowed neologisms accepted more slowly into the German language than German words resulting from the application of wrd formation rules? This study addresses this question by focusing on two possible indicators for the acceptance of neologisms: a) frequency development of 239 German neologisms from the 1990s (loanwords as well as new words resulting from the application of word formation rules) in the German reference corpus DEREKO and b) frequency development in the use of pragmatic markers (‘flags’, namely quotation marks and phrases such as sogenannt ‘so-called’) with these words. In the second part of the article, a psycholinguistic approach to evaluating the (psychological) status of different neologisms and non-words in an experimentally controlled study and plans to carry out interviews in a field test to collect speakers’ opinions on the acceptance of the analysed neologisms are outlined. Finally, implications for the lexicographic treatment of both types of neologisms are discussed.

The Contribution of Cognitive Linguistics to the Acquisition of Polysemy: A Dictionary Entry-Based Study with Chinese Learners of English

Abstract: This paper reported on a quasi-experimental study into the effectiveness of two types of entries – entries enhanced with cognitive linguistic insights (CL entries) and linearly ordered entries (LO entries) – in promoting L2 learners’ acquisition of English polysemes. Sixty-five college students majoring in English were divided into an experimental group (EG) and a reference group (RG). EG received the CL entries for lift and break in and RG were presented with the corresponding LO entries. Both groups were given twenty minutes to read the entries and to learn the twenty-seven senses. To examine the effectiveness of the two types of entries, an English-Chinese translation test was administered before the learning session (as Test 1), immediately after it (as Test 2) and two weeks later (as Test 3). The results showed that: (1) EG outperformed RG in the comprehension of the target senses on both Test 2 and Test 3. (2) The CL entries were more effective in promoting short-term retention than the LO entries, but had no advantage over the latter in long-term retention. (3) The CL entry for lift facilitated the learning of the target senses more than the LO entry did, but the CL entry for break in was no more effective than the LO entry in helping L2 learners acquire the target senses. The study suggests that the cognitive linguistic view can and should be further applied to treating polysemy in learner’s dictionaries, but the model for CL entries is not always recommendable and the knowledge gained from reading the CL entries needs consolidating.

Smart advertising and online dictionary usefulness

Abstract: Today, online advertisements are smart. Based on targeting, they are highly personalized to match the interests of Internet users. Smart advertisements feature even in high-quality online dictionaries, which is a trade-off for free dictionary content. The aim of the paper is to investigate the influence of targeted advertisements in online dictionaries on language reception, production and learning. The study also identifies the effect of advertisement targeting on the time of online dictionary consultation. In addition, dictionary users’ attitudes to advertisements are explored. The results reveal that either targeted or non-targeted advertisements in online dictionaries do not significantly affect language reception, production and learning, irrespective of sense position in entries. Yet, both targeted and non-targeted advertisements prolong dictionary consultation. Non-targeted advertisements were found only marginally more disruptive than targeted ones, and the assessment of advertisements was not dependent on the experimental condition.

Attitudes towards Anglicisms in Contemporary Standard Slovak

Abstract: The extensive spread of anglicisms in the last decades is a tendency that can be observed in a number of languages, including Slovak. This situation immediately raises concerns about the possible effects on national languages. In Slovakia, the attitudes to borrowings from English find their place between two poles of a continuum. On one hand, there are Slovak users (not only linguists) who are strongly against borrowings and especially anglicisms. Some even consider them a serious threat to Slovak as a national language which is part of Slovak identity. On the other hand, some users are keen to use English words in their Slovak. Then many Slovak speakers are confused as to what is acceptable and seek help from an official authority. The authority is represented by Jazykovedný ústav Ľudovíta Štúra Slovenskej akadémie vied (Ľudovít Štúr Institute of Linguistics of the Slovak Academy of Science). The Institute has set up a Linguistic Advice Service to answer questions about correct use. There is a database of the questions and answers which can be searched by key words or browsed in alphabetical order. The analysis focuses on the queries concerning anglicisms. The results of the analysis show how different attitudes to anglicisms in Slovak correlate with the lexicographic treatment of the words.

The Application and Effectiveness of Prototype Theory in The New Oxford English-Chinese Dictionary

Abstract: The New Oxford English-Chinese Dictionary (NOECD) is a bilingualized dictionary based on the New Oxford Dictionary of English (NODE), which is likely the first dictionary to claim explicitly to put prototype theory into dictionary making. Assessments of the effectiveness of this move vary, but so far, no empirical study has been conducted to examine it. This paper reports two studies of the application of prototype theory in NOECD. The first regards the use of the theory in defining and sense organising, and the second concerns users’ perception of the effectiveness of the organisation of sense. The first study is qualitative, and it examines how prototype theory is exhibited in defining and sense organising. The second study is empirical and consists of a test of dictionary users’ vocabulary retention and some follow-up questions. In this second study, it was found that the prototype strategy adopted by NOECD, of identifying a core sense and grouping subsenses around it, contributed little to improving user efficiency in memorising word meanings. Several possible reasons are proposed to account for the ineffectiveness: the influence of L1, limitations of prototype theory, users’ inadequate dictionary skills and others. It is concluded that these challenges could be addressed by compiling nation-specific dictionaries for specific users. Dictionary training should be an inseparable part of language learning to improve users’ dictionary skills and awareness.

Monolingual Online Dictionaries for Learners of English and the Opportunities of the Electronic Medium: A Critical Survey

Abstract: Online dictionaries provide unique possibilities to both dictionary makers and users, in particular in the following areas (cf. Granger 2012: 4ff): Accessibility of data, multimedia functions, customization, hybridization, user-input and storage space. This article investigates the extent to which these opportunities have been exhausted in current online learner’s dictionaries. It demonstrates that the vast technological opportunities of the internet are only beginning to be fully exploited. While storage space, for example, is already being used effectively to provide additional example sentences and collocations, the dictionaries under investigation offer partly unsatisfactory functionality in terms of data accessibility and several other areas.

Detection and lexicographic treatment of salient features in e-dictionaries for African languages

Abstract: As for many e-dictionaries across the globe, e-dictionaries for African languages embarked on the unfortunate route of being ‘paper dictionaries on computer’ often simply enhanced with additional search features or simply by perpetuating the practice followed in paper dictionaries of compiling e-dictionaries which are just translated word lists. In this article it will be argued that e-dictionaries for African languages should firstly be compiled through maximum utilization of ‘true electronic’ features enabled by the computer era. Secondly, specific attention should be given to the salient features of the Bantu language family, taking Sepedi (Northern Sotho) as a case in point. Thirdly attention is given to the issue of dictionary survival in the information era and how innovative e-support systems can contribute to ensure that future dictionaries will remain the preferred point of departure for users for information retrieval.

Normative Labels in Slovene Dictionaries: Users’ and Lexicographers’ Perspectives

Abstract: This paper discusses normative labels in the Dictionary of Standard Slovene from the point of view of users and lexicographers. Using a questionnaire distributed to the students of the University of Ljubljana, we wanted to learn how native speakers of Slovene interpret select normative labels. Additionally, five Slovene lexicographers were interviewed to get an insight into their views on labeling lemmata or their senses. The problems they encounter when assigning the labels were assessed in the interviews. The results of the student survey show that the presence of normative labels and their type has an effect on the users’ perceived degree of acceptability of the word in the standard language variety. Though still marking inadequate forms, the lexicographers interviewed strive to stay away from prescriptivism by trying to give reasons for a less adequate form. This is a new development that diverges from traditional, strongly prescriptive, attitude of Slovene linguists.

Dictionaries, Neologisms, and Linguistic Purism

Abstract: A discrepancy between the perceptions of the dictionary as gatekeepers and the dictionary as a description of the language can be observed among the general public and lexicographers. This discrepancy is particularly obvious when we consider the inclusion of neologisms. Linguistic purism is generally seen by its advocates as an effort to protect a language. It is particularly relevant when we consider borrowings. These considerations serve as a background for the special issue on New Words and Linguistic Purism, which consists of an article on the background theory, three case studies focused on German, Italian, and Slovak, and a contrastive study of German and Greek which also adds some further theoretical considerations on linguistic purism.

Treatment of Words for Illness and Disability in Monolingual English Dictionaries

Abstract: The article examines the treatment of twenty-five words for illness and disability in twenty monolingual English dictionaries. The selection of works examined includes learners’, collegiate, and general-purpose dictionaries, both British and American. The analysis focusses on the indications of offensiveness, if any, that lexicographers have included in the entries. The lexemes studied have fallen out of favour in recent decades (e.g. handicapped, midget, retard, retarded, spastic) or do not follow the principles of person-first language, in particular the recommendation that patients should not be named after their conditions (e.g. infirm, lunatic, paralytic, syphilitic as nouns). The treatment of individual terms varies quite considerably from one volume to another. Some dictionaries have clearly adopted a policy of warning readers against almost any word referring to a person with a health issue. Others are more selective in their assignment of labels and usage notes. Discussions about person-first language have clearly influenced many of the dictionaries examined.

Evaluating popular online English-Chinese dictionaries in China by applying Lew and Szarowska’s (2017) evaluation framework

Abstract: By applying Lew and Szarowska’s (2017) evaluation framework and methodology (with a few methodological enhancements made), this study evaluated six popular online English-Chinese dictionaries in China and produced some useful findings. First, Lew and Szarowska’s framework and methodology proved very successful in this study, demonstrating their viability in evaluating online bilingual dictionaries, although a few aspects where enhancements could be made were also identified. Second, the results of the evaluation of the six dictionaries in comparison with those from Lew and Szarowska (2017) suggest that while online dictionaries in the past few years seemed to have made improvements in some areas (e.g. increased coverage of lexical items including neologisms, technical words, and multiword expressions), they appeared to have shown little improvement with problems in some other areas (e.g. inadequate provision of usage, English variety, and part of speech labels and some inappropriate example sentences). Suggestions for addressing the existing problems are provided and implications for future research are discussed.

On the Pronunciation Dictionaries of Contemporary German: Principles of Selection and Lemmatization of Lexical Material

Abstract: The aim of the present paper is to discuss some specific differences between four modern pronunciation dictionaries of the German language: the Großes Wörterbuch der deutschen Aussprache of 1982, DUDEN Aussprachewörterbuch of 2000, Deutsches Aussprachewörterbuch of 2009, and DUDEN Aussprachewörterbuch of 2015. This paper focuses on the principles of entry selection and lemmatization in diverse vocabulary groups (such as compounds, prefixed verbs, female noun forms denoting persons and professions, multiword expressions, foreign words, and inflected forms of individual word classes). Furthermore, sources used by the dictionaries’ authors in order to obtain entries are briefly discussed.

Term Formation under the Prism of Linguistic Purism: Borrowings in German and Greek

Abstract: The present study investigates the role of borrowing in specialised language and the connection of this crosslinguistically common phenomenon with the attitude of language purism. German and Greek have been selected for the purpose of this study. The selection of these languages is based on their comparable morphological properties, but also on their different terminological characteristics. The data come mainly from the domain of statistics. However, some examples from a different domain, that of computer science, are also discussed. The different terminological profiles of the selected languages are found to coincide with the specific characteristics of the two domains. These characteristics are also linked to their attitudes towards foreign words and especially borrowing. In this respect, this paper investigates borrowed words from a morphological and a sociolinguistic point of view.

Folkmun.se: A Study of a User-Generated Dictionary of Swedish

Abstract: This study examines the Swedish user-generated web dictionary Folkmun.se, encompassing roughly 5,000 entries. Initially a general overview of the website is presented, followed by an analysis of ho ...

The effect of gender and educational level on dictionary use strategies adopted by upper-elementary and lower-secondary students attending Greek Schools1

Abstract: The aim of the present large-scale study is to elaborate on the concept of ‘Dictionary Use Strategy’ (DUS), to investigate the effect of gender and educational level on DUSs adopted by upper elementary and lower secondary students in Greek mainstream schools, and to determine the strategic profile of the sample by using a standardized instrument of data collection. The sample consisted of 745 upper elementary and lower secondary pupils in Greek mainstream education to whom the Strategy Inventory for Dictionary Use (S.I.D.U.) was administered. Results indicate that the adoption of dictionary use strategies is significantly influenced by both educational level and gender. Results are discussed in connection with the effectiveness of dictionary use and the influence of gender and educational level on learning strategy use.

Norms, New Words, and Empirical Reality

Abstract: The central question of this paper is how the inclusion of new words in dictionaries can be related to the empirical reality and norms of language. Because dictionaries are generally dictionaries of a language, the starting point is how this notion of named language is framed. The traditional view of a language as a system is contrasted with the corpus-based view of a language as realized in use and with the Chomskyan view based on language as a speaker’s competence. Then, the nature of words in each perspective is discussed, leading to different characterizations and different standards for the evaluation of new words. The function of new words is generally to name new concepts. In naming, word formation, sense extension, and borrowing can be used. Whereas lexicographers see their task as mainly descriptive, users often expect dictionaries to be gatekeepers. The competence-based perspective can serve as a ground where these views can be reconciled.

Hungarian non-professional dictionaries of first names: Methodological problems caused by the lack of lexicographic and onomastic knowledge

Abstract: The paper intends to call attention to problems caused by dictionaries of first names made by non-professionals, using such Hungarian dictionaries as examples. The author’s main conclusion is that the editors’ and authors’ lack of lexicographic and onomastic knowledge generally leads to their spreading of incorrect or unreliable information about the origin and etymological meaning of names, or the connection between languages and nations. First, the analysis details the typical characteristics of the three types of non-professional dictionaries (esoteric, anti-Finno-Ugric and ideology-free) compared to professional dictionaries of first names in Hungary, then demonstrates the methodological problems and difficulties of giving the origin and etymological meaning of first names in entries.

Identifying dictionary-relevant formulaic sequences in written and spoken corpora

Abstract: In view of the pervasiveness of formulaic language in human communication and the growing awareness of its relevance to modern lexicography, this study presents a corpus-driven identification, analysis and comparison of dictionary-relevant formulaic sequences in reference corpora of written and spoken Slovenian. The sequences were identified using a semi-automatic approach, whereby the most frequently recurring word combinations in each corpus were ranked according to their statistical salience and manually inspected for formulaic expressions with lexicographic relevance. Despite its semantic heterogeneity, the resulting list illustrates the distinct characteristics of formulaic multi-word expressions, such as high frequency of usage, prevalent inclusion of grammatical words and common non-propositional meaning, especially in speech, where research revealed numerous understudied formulaic expressions related to interaction management and mitigation. The final evaluation of measures used in the identification process demonstrates their relative suitability for corpus-driven identification of dictionary-relevant formulaic expressions, with their precision varying in relation to corpus size and length of sequences under investigation.

On the Pronunciation Dictionaries of Contemporary German: The Concepts of Phonetic Standard and Differences in Specific Phonetic Issues

Abstract: The aim of the following paper is to discuss some phonetics-based differences between four modern pronunciation dictionaries of the German language: Großes Wörterbuch der deutschen Aussprache (1982), Deutsches Aussprachewörterbuch (2009), DUDEN Aussprachewörterbuch (2000) and DUDEN Aussprachewörterbuch (2015). First, attention is paid to the concept of phonetic standard declared by the respective dictionary authors. After that, a number of specific phonetic issues are outlined which pinpoint some striking divergences between the dictionaries under analysis. The divergences occur in description and interpretation of certain phenomena in the field of vowels (diphthongs, half-long vowels, vocalic reductions), consonants (the /r/ allophones, affricates, consonant assimilations) as well as suprasegmental features (word stress marking).