There is a vast amount of different dictionaries available for users of the English
language. All these dictionaries share the aspect that they provide information about
English words and items, but they are also very different and need to be
distinguished from each other. One may need a dictionary in one case and the same
dictionary may be absolutely useless when one tries to solve another problem.
“Monolingual learners’, general monolingual, and bilingual dictionaries present a problem:
in spite of what may be advertised on the outside cover of these texts, no single
dictionary can adequately serve all users. A variety of dictionaries is required to suit the
backgrounds, needs, and expectations of individual language learners” (BATTENBURG
24).
So different users and different questions require different dictionaries. One needs to
know where to find the information asked for in a particular case, and one certainly
needs more than one dictionary for different aspects of the English language. To
avoid getting lost here, it is necessary to distinguish between the different types of
dictionaries that exist.
This report provides some suggestions for distinction, amongst other things
established through empiric research.
First, an outline of the different types of dictionaries is given, including general
dictionaries (monolingual, bilingual), learner’s dictionaries, historical dictionaries and
encyclopedias.
Moreover, the typical structure of an entry in a dictionary is explained, because the
dictionary entries examined later are mainly checked according to these parts of an
entry; it is looked what parts they in- or exclude and how the parts are realized.
After the theoretical part, the empiric research is documented. Five dictionaries
(monolingual American and British, bilingual English-German, learner’s dictionary,
historical dictionary) and one encyclopedia are compared in the way that three
different items (general, encyclopedic, and regional) are looked up and the entries
are compared in order to find differences and in this way get a guideline how and
when to consult what dictionary.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. Definition: What Is a Dictionary?
2. Different Types of Dictionaries
2. 1 Dictionaries
2. 2 Encyclopedias
3. The Organisation of a Dictionary Entry
4. Dictionaries Examined in this Report
5. Empirical Examination of Dictionary Entries
5. 1 The General Item
5. 2 The Encyclopedic Item
5. 3 The Regional Item
6. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
The primary objective of this report is to analyze and distinguish between various types of English dictionaries by examining their structure, content, and utility for different user groups. The research investigates how these reference works handle diverse linguistic items and evaluates their effectiveness in meeting specific user needs through empirical comparison.
- Classification and definition of different dictionary types (monolingual, bilingual, learner's, historical, and encyclopedic).
- Detailed analysis of the standard components and organizational structure of dictionary entries.
- Comparative empirical research focusing on how general, encyclopedic, and regional items are treated across six different reference works.
- Evaluation of the exhaustiveness and specific information provided by various dictionaries regarding synonyms, etymology, and cultural context.
Excerpt from the Book
5. 3 The regional item
There are various ‘regions’ where varieties of English are spoken, from Alaska to New Zealand, no matter whether as a first language or one among other official languages, and many countries teach English as the first foreign language in schools.
“People who speak English can be divided into three groups: those who have inherited it as their birth tongue, those who have acquired it as a second language, and those who are compelled to use it for some special purpose whether as diplomats, businessmen, journalists, consultants, scientists, technologists, or students of literature. One person in seven of the world’s total population now belongs to one of these three groups” (POTTER 11).
As English is spoken in so many different countries and societies and for such various purposes, it is obvious that a lot of variation occurs in the language. Accordingly, I chose a regional restricted item for my research, too.
As regional variation occurs especially in some fields of the language, e. g. vehicles, animal and plant names or food, I tried to find an item from one of those areas. As pointed out above, animal and plant names are highly encyclopedic in their nature, so those two disqualified themselves. I chose an item from the area of food, the strongly British-oriented term ‘icing sugar’. Icing sugar is known as ‘powdered sugar’ (or sometimes ‘confectioners’ sugar’) throughout America. Both ‘icing sugar’ and ‘powdered sugar’ are transparent, with ‘icing’ referring to the use of the sugar and ‘powdered’ to its consistence. But a non-native speaker might not understand both of them, and even a native speaker from a part of the English-speaking world where ‘icing sugar’ is unknown could have difficulties to relate it to ‘powdered sugar’, because icing of course stands for a sweet coverage for cakes and biscuits, but this is called ‘frosting’ in American English more often.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides the motivation for the study, highlighting the need to distinguish between different dictionary types based on user requirements and language aspects.
1. Definition: What Is a Dictionary?: Establishes a foundational definition of dictionaries and identifies key variables, such as dictionary size and type, that influence information depth.
2. Different Types of Dictionaries: Categorizes dictionaries into bilingual, monolingual (native and learner's), historical, and encyclopedias, outlining their distinct characteristics and target audiences.
3. The Organisation of a Dictionary Entry: Explains the essential components of a dictionary entry, including headwords, spelling, pronunciation, grammatical labels, and definitions.
4. Dictionaries Examined in this Report: Introduces the six specific reference works selected for the comparative empirical analysis.
5. Empirical Examination of Dictionary Entries: Documents the comparative study of three specific items—general, encyclopedic, and regional—across the selected dictionaries.
6. Conclusion: Summarizes findings, emphasizing that the utility of a dictionary depends heavily on the item being researched and the specific nature of the dictionary used.
Keywords
Lexicography, dictionaries, monolingual, bilingual, learner's dictionaries, historical dictionaries, encyclopedias, dictionary entries, etymology, cultural literacy, linguistic variation, regional English, reference works, empirical research, synonyms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental purpose of this research?
This report aims to demonstrate that no single dictionary serves all users or purposes; it helps readers understand which type of dictionary to consult depending on their specific linguistic needs.
What are the central themes discussed in the paper?
The core themes include the classification of dictionaries, the standard structure of dictionary entries, and the practical application of these tools for resolving general, encyclopedic, and regional language queries.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to provide a guideline for dictionary selection by comparing how different dictionaries treat specific types of words, highlighting their respective strengths and limitations.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author uses a comparative empirical method, selecting three specific target terms and analyzing their treatment across five dictionaries and one encyclopedia to draw qualitative conclusions.
What is covered in the main section of the report?
The main section covers the theoretical definitions of dictionary types, an overview of entry anatomy, and the detailed empirical analysis of how a general adjective, an encyclopedic date, and a regional food term are presented in selected works.
Which keywords characterize this study?
Key terms include Lexicography, Dictionary Typology, Linguistic Variation, Cultural Literacy, and Comparative Dictionary Analysis.
How does the treatment of the 'Fourth of July' differ across the dictionaries?
The study finds that while encyclopedias provide sufficient historical and cultural definitions, learner's dictionaries focus more on grammatical and usage support for non-native speakers, whereas some desk dictionaries may omit the term entirely.
Why is the regional term 'icing sugar' problematic for some dictionaries?
The analysis shows that 'icing sugar' highlights the gaps in dictionaries; for instance, some American dictionaries do not list this British term, and bilingual dictionaries might offer a translation without clarifying the usage differences, causing confusion for users.
- Quote paper
- Mirja Schnoor (Author), 2003, Different Types of Dictionaries, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/14815
