Добавил:
Upload Опубликованный материал нарушает ваши авторские права? Сообщите нам.
Вуз: Предмет: Файл:
суша лексикография.docx
Скачиваний:
10
Добавлен:
18.08.2019
Размер:
301.55 Кб
Скачать

Discussion

Questions:

  • In what way does the author characterize the subject matter of linguistic lexicography?

  • What are the main components of a general theory of lexicography?

  • What does the author understand by a dictionary plan., dictionary base and dictionary file?

AS

REINHARD RUDOLF KARL IIARTMANN ON THEORY AND PRACTICE IN DICTIONARY-MAKING3

1. The linguistic basis of lexicography

Dictionary-making is an essentially practical activity which is as old as man's concern with written communication. But in order to compile a dictionary, one must have a notion of the "word' and an understanding of how it is used in interpersonal discourse.

The discipline that has contributed more than any other to our understanding of how words are used in communication is linguistics. Much of the recent literature in lexicography has consciously and explicitly related itself to linguistic theories in general and to theories of lexical semantics in particular.

It would be impossible to summarize here the contribution and relevance of linguistic studies to dictionary-making, although many of the later chapters address themselves to the interrelationship between linguistic theory and lexicographical practice. At this stage, 1 can only pick out a number of insights which have proven useful as a framework for analysing and presenting vocabulary. To narrow down the focus, let us concentrate on a set of "postulates1 or axioms on which there is wide agreement among linguists. Postulates in this sense are basic assumptions which can be taken as generally valid on the evidence of repeated observation.

Since 1926 when Leonard Bloomfield first formulated his Postulates for the science of language, giving definitions of such important notions as 'word', 'utterance', 'speech community', 'part of speech' and 'language change', several linguists have modified, extended and refined these (e.g. Pike, Hudson), although their axioms are not often specifically directed at lexicographers.

For the purpose of this introductory chapter, I will just single out five general postulates and devote one section to each. They are as follows:

  1. Lexicography is concerned with the description and explanation of the vocabulary of a language or language variety.

  2. The basic unit in dictionary-making is the 'lexeme', the close combination of the form and meaning.

  3. Dictionaries may describe the whole vocabulary of a language (variety) or concentrate on one or more of its aspects,

  4. Dictionary-making has to develop a 'metalanguage' for handling and presenting the information.

  5. Ultimately all dictionaries are motivated by and judged against the lexical needs of the language user whom they serve.

2. Lexicography and lexical description

The first postulate relates to the subject matter of lexicography. We have already defined the lexicographer's task as a process which describes vocabulary items and arranges them in a particular order. Different lexicographers have characterised their work as 'dull' (Samuel Johnson), 'exciting' (Eric Partridge), 'enjoyable' (James Hulbert) and 'tedious' (Allen Gleason), but most would agree that it is above all a descriptive activity, recording existing usage rather than laying down prescriptive or normative Riles about how words should be used or which words are to be avoided.