English LexicologyLexis and Lexicography

Week 15

Instructor: Liu Hongyong

Warming-up

What is a dictionary? What kind of information can be found in a dictionary?

How many different kinds of dictionary do you know?

What is the first English dictionary? What is the first Chinese dictionary?

Lexicography: Dictionary compilation

A dictionary is a reference book that lists the words of one or more languages, usually in alphabetical order, along with information about their spelling, pronunciation, grammatical category, meaning, history, and use.

The process of compiling dictionaries is known as lexicography, and the people who carry out this task are lexicographers.

Lexicologists vs. Lexicographers

Lexicologists use the raw material collected in dictionaries in their studies, whereas lexicographers use the findings of lexicologists in making dictionaries as the principles of dictionary-making are based on the current theoretical knowledge of lexicology.

The first English dictionary came out in 1604. The dictionary was nothing but a list of about 2500 difficult words.

The writer, Robert Cawdrey, didn’t put everyday words in his dictionary. He said no one would ever have to look up a word in a dictionary if he already knew what the word meant.

Since then, many kinds of dictionaries came out. But they were all like Robert’s.

Dr Samuel Johnson

A man named Dr Samuel Johnson changed all this. Dr Johnson wrote the first modern dictionary. And it came out in 1755.

He put in his dictionary all important words, both easy and hard, and he told clearly what the words meant.

He also gave good sentences to show how each word was used in spoken English and in written English.

“The value of a work must be estimated by its use: It is not enough that a dictionary delights the critic, unless at the same time it instructs the learner.”

(Samuel Johnson)

Samuel Johnson (7 September 1709– 13 December 1784)

Dr Samuel Johnson (1709-84)

A Dictionary of the English LanguageJohnson’s Dictionary

Noah Webster (October 16, 1758 – May 28, 1843) was an American lexicographer, textbook author, spelling reformer, word enthusiast, and editor. He has been called the “Father of American Scholarship and Education.” His spelling books were used to teach spelling and reading to five generations of American children.

In the United States, his name has become synonymous with dictionaries, especially the modern Merriam-Webster dictionary that was first published in 1828 as An American Dictionary of the English Language.

中国最早的字典

中国最早的字典是《尔雅》。《尔雅》的字是按意义分类的 , 全书共十九章。

中国按字的形体及偏旁编排的第一部字典是《说文解字》 , 《说文解字》是研究中国文字学的最主要的参考书。

Overview

Teaching Objectives

Introduce four types of dictionaries, their contents, scope and characteristics, and discuss how to choose and use dictionaries.

Teaching focus Types of Dictionaries: monolingual & bilingual

dictionaries; linguistic & encyclopedic dictionaries, unabridged, desk and pocket dictionaries, specialized dictionaries

Use of Dictionaries: choice of dictionaries, content of the dictionary, use of the dictionary

The Development of the Dictionary

Early Glossaries and Word Books Modern English Dictionaries American Dictionaries

Early Glossaries and Word Books

While reading Latin, people noted down the easier Latin or English synonyms for some hard Latin words.

These words were collected into word lists called glossaries. These glossaries only include hard words, for people believed there was no need to pay attention to simple words.

Robert Cawdrey’s Table Alphabeticall of Hard Words (1604).

Modern English Dictionaries

The first famous dictionary was Samuel Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language published in 1755.

Johnson’s purpose was to preserve the purity of English.

From Johnson’s preface: I have studiously endeavoured to collect examples and authorities from the writers before the restoration, whose words I regard as the wells of English undefiled, as the pure sources of genuine diction.

Since World War II, lexicographers shifted their attention to pedagogical or learner’s dictionaries.

Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English

Collins COBUILD English Language Dictionary

Modern English Dictionaries

American Dictionaries

After the death of Johnson (1784), Webster (1758-1843) felt that America needed a dictionary characteristic of America as a new nation and believed that he could do better than Johnson.

American Dictionary of the English Language (1828)

After his death, the rights of the dictionary were sold to George and Charles Merriam Company. The company was later renamed Merriam-Webster Inc.

The Second Webster (1934)Webster’s Third New International Dictionary (1961)

Types of Dictionaries

1. Monolingual and Bilingual Dictionaries

Oxford Advanced Learner’s English –Chinese Dictionary

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English—English-Chinese

The New Oxford Dictionary of English with Chinese Translation

A Chinese-English Dictionary

2. Linguistic and Encyclopedic Dictionaries Linguistic Dictionaries

Linguistic dictionaries aim at defining words and explaining their usages in the language.

Cover information about spelling, pronunciation, meaning, grammatical function, usage and etymology

Which kind of dictionary

should we use?

Encyclopedic Dictionaries Encyclopedia: is not concerned about the language but provides

encyclopedic information related to each headword.The Encyclopedia Britannica (20 volumes)The Encyclopedia Americanna (30 volumes)

Encyclopedic dictionariesDual in nature and share the characteristics of bot

h linguistic dictionaries and encyclopedia. Chambers Encyclopedic English Dictionary (1994)

3. General Purpose Dictionaries: Complied for general use. According to the scope and size, they can be divided into unabridged, desk, and pocket dictionaries.

Unabridged Dictionaries A complete record of all the words in use. Provides a great quantity of basic information

about a word: origin, meaning, pronunciation, usage, grammatical category, spelling, derived forms, synonyms, homonyms

At least 200 000 headwordsThe Oxford English DictionaryWebster’s New International Dictionary

Desk Dictionaries Medium-sized with 50 000 to 150 000 headwords

Collins COBUILD English Dictionary (CCED)

Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary (WNCD)

Concise Oxford Dictionary (COD)

Pocket Dictionaries 50 000 entry or fewer abridgement of reputable desk

dictionaries at best and little more than spelling lists with scanty, often inaccurate definitions at worst

Electronic Dictionaries Convenient as it is, they do the word of a pocket dictionary

at its best. They are far less helpful than a traditional desk dictionary.

4. Specialized dictionaries

1) Etymological Dictionaries

2) Dictionaries of Usages

3) Dictionaries of Idioms

4) Dictionaries of Synonyms

5) Dictionaries of Slang

6) Other Specialized Dictionaries

Thesaurus: A book of synonyms, often including related and contrasting words and antonyms.

Using the Dictionary

Different dictionaries are designed to meet different needs and for different purposes, so that users should choose the most appropriate dictionaries according to their specific purpose. The following are some criteria in the choice of a dictionary: Suitability Contents Authority Up-to-date-ness

Suitability: choose the one that suits your purpose and needs the most.

Contents The current meanings of words The current (American and British) spelling The exact pronunciation (American and British) Proper usage of words Morphological structure of words Common idioms involving the headwords

AuthorityOxford, Longman in UK, and Webster in USA are

well-established publishers. Dictionaries published by them are mostly reliable as they have a long history and very experienced editors.

Up-to-date-nessBecause of the constant vocabulary change, it is not

exaggerating to say that a dictionary begins to go out-of-date the moment it is published. A dictionary user should choose a dictionary with the latest copyright date.

Recommending Three Dictionaries

Oxford Advanced Learner’s English-Chinese Dictionary (OALD)

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English --- English-Chinese 2001(LDCE)

Collins COBUILD English Dictionary, New Edition, 2000. (CCED)

Further Research!

Why is the study of the dictionary necessary in lexicology? What are the specific linking relations between lexicology and lexicography? How do these two research fields contribute to each other?

Which do you think can offer the most help in the English learning process, a bilingual or a monolingual dictionary?