Course Description
Principles and methods of dictionary making with emphasis on monolingual English and bilingual dictionaries. Topics may include typology of dictionaries and dictionary users, the history of lexicography, the collection and selection of headwords and examples; the definition style, pronunciation, labeling, translation equivalents, etymology, illustrations, and encyclopedic information.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
The graduate students will be evaluated by a midterm exam and a final exam on the concepts and practices of lexicography, and will also write a research paper on some aspect of monolingual or bilingual lexicography.
Athena Title
LEXICOGRAPHY
Undergraduate Prerequisite
ENGL(LING) 3030 or ENGL(LING) 4005/6005 or LING 2100
Graduate Prerequisite
Permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered every year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
This split level course in lexicography has two objectives: to give a general introduction to the subject of dictionary making, including some lexicological background, and to provide a guide to modern methods of lexicography. These two objectives are appropriate because the course is aimed at students of several kinds: English students with an interest in English as a language, linguistics students, translators and those intending to become translators, language teachers, and other students with an interest in language. The course is both descriptive regarding contemporary dictionary making practices and their underlying concepts, and advisory regarding certain procedures, such as selecting examples from a large corpus. After completing the course, the student should be able to work at an entry-level position in the dictionary division of a major publisher.
Topical Outline
Sample topical outline: I. Lexicography: The Science and Art of Dictionary Making A. Contemporary Lexicography 1. English monolingual dictionaries 2. bilingual dictionaries 3. commercial lexicography 4. academic lexicohraphy B. Dictionary users and types of dictionaries C. History of Lexicography II. The collection of material A. Corpus material B. Traditional sources of material C. The selection of material D. Macrostructure of the dictionary III. The Dictionary Entry A. Headwords B. Pronunciation C. Grammatical Information 1. inflexion 2. part of speech 3. constructions and valency D. Collocations and Idioms IV. Definition A. Defining style B. Paraphrases C. Hybrids D. Suitability for users V. Equivalents in Bilingual Dictionaries A. Translational Equivalence B. Translational Paraphrases C. Alternative Equivalents VI. Encyclopedic Information A. Monolingual English dictionaries B. Bilingual dictionaries VII. Illustrations A. Function and Purpose B. Illustration types VIII. Register and Subject Lables A. Function and Purpose B. Register and the user IX. Etymology A. Function and Format X. Cross-References A. Function and Form XI. The Dictionary Entry A. Principles of Microstructure B. Polysemy C. Homonymy D. Multi-word lexical units XI. Dictionary Projects in the Electronic Age Specific topics vary by instructor and at different times. Periodically during the semester, students will perform a number of graded tasks, including some combination of tests and out-of-class papers. In-class exams and the final exam will require essays as well as objective questions and problems. Substantial out-of-class writing will be required, whether in essay form or in written responses to problems or practical tasks, amounting to c. 20 pages by the end of the term.