Dictionary Linguistic Characteristics

УДК 811.161.2’374.
26
DICTIONARY LINGUISTIC CHARACTERISTICS
Chernysh Oksana,
Associate Professor at the Department of
Theoretical and Applied Linguistics
Zhytomyr Polytechnic State University
Zhytomyr, Ukraine
chernyshoxana@gmail.com
Abstract: The article deals with the linguistic peculiarities of dictionaries.

The research highlights the peculiarities of the range and scope of dictionary material,
the arrangement of dictionary and polysemous word meanings, information type of
dictionary items and dictionary purposes.
Key words: entries density, dictionary arrangement, dictionary purpose, range
and scope of dictionary material, polysemous words.
Nowadays the importance of electronic dictionaries is undisputable. These

quick and astonishingly flexible lexical databases greatly contribute to intercultural
communication as well as any linguistic research. The current research is aimed at
establishing linguistic characteristics of dictionaries. To accomplish the task we have
considered such parameters as 3, 4:
- range and scope of dictionary material;
- information type of dictionary items;
- patterns of dictionary arrangement;
- arrangement of polysemous word meanings;
- illustrative examples;
- dictionary purposes (prescriptive versus descriptive, productive
versus receptive).
Let’s consider the parameters stated in details. Firstly, the range and scope of
dictionary material presupposes 3, p. 31-32:
- the analysis of entries density. Entry density is a quantitative property of
dictionaries, the precise size of the whole lexicon. Dictionaries differ in wealth of
recorded meanings, consequently, entry density could be used for their topological
classification.
- temporal, spatial, social and frequentative projection of the lexical material
which highlights the importance of synchronic and diachronic language study, its
national standard and regional varieties. Still it should be mentioned that dictionary
coverage is predominantly restricted by time period, words frequency, territory and
social environment lexical items are drawn from [4];
- type of items registered. Dictionaries may record not only pure words but also
phrases, idioms, set phrases, word combinations and phrases and sometimes even
speech patterns;
- extent of concentration on lexical and encyclopedic data. Dictionaries may
also have encyclopedic entries such as proper names or geographical descriptions.
This information contributes to better understanding of a dictionary item.
- number of languages involved. According to the number of languages
involved dictionaries may be monological, bilingual, trilingual and multilingual
(polyglot). Each dictionary type is unique for a language phenomenon study, for
instance, monological dictionaries are often used for sufficient academic language
study when bilingual ones usually serve as translation dictionaries.
Secondly, much prominence is given to information type of dictionary items.
Thus, dictionaries may record spelling, pronunciation, word definition, etymology,
morphological, syntactic and stylistic properties, derivatives, semantically related
words etc.. This information may also be a criterion for further dictionaries
classification.
Thirdly, there are several patterns of dictionary arrangement, such as:
- alphabetical arrangement which is the most widely used one [2];
- semantic arrangement that presupposes the organization according to bonds
of lexical item meaning. Thus, we have dictionaries of synonyms, systematic
dictionaries etc.;
- casual arrangement that creates a mixture of alphabetical and semantic ones.
In addition we the significance of polysemous word meanings arrangement
should be emphasized. It may be done according to:
- historical order, when the meanings are put in the sequence of their historical
development;
- frequency when the most common meanings come first;
- meanings logical lay out to reflect the hierarchical relations between the
meaning [4].
Moreover, dictionaries may imply illustrative examples to specify words
meaning and usage. Such examples may be taken from literary sources, any written
or recorded data and even created simultaneously for the authors' need.
Furthermore, dictionaries may have several purposes, such as:
- prescriptive (normative) one, which means that dictionaries do not only
provide information on a word, but also emphasize its correct usage in context;
- descriptive purpose states that dictionaries record both standard language and
dialectal words, archaisms, author's neologisms etc. Thus, highlighting the whole
spectrum of language varieties;
- productive purpose is realized by active dictionaries [1, p. 106] dealing with
encoding tasks;
- receptive purpose concerns passive dictionaries aimed at decoding tasks.
In conclusion, linguistic characteristics mentioned above could be taken into
consideration for further typological classification of dictionaries.
LITERATURE
1. Hartmann R.R.K., James G. Dictionary of Lexicography / R.R.K. Hartmann,
G. James. – London: Routledge, 1998. – 176 p.
2. Landau S. Dictionaries: The art and craft of lexicography / S. Landau. –
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004. – 496 p.
3. Leščinskij R. Linguistic and semiotic characteristics of English and Russian
dictionaries: a comparative study Electronic resource / R. Leščinskij. –
Access mode : http://www.cpe.vgtu.lt/index.php/cpe/article/view/cpe.2013-
6.html.
4. Tekorienė D., Maskaliūnienė N. Lexicography: British and American
Dictionaries / D. Tekorienė, N. Maskaliūnienė. – Vilnius: Vilnius University
Press, 2004. – 120 p.

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УДК 811.161.2’374.

DICTIONARY LINGUISTIC CHARACTERISTICS

Abstract: The article deals with the linguistic peculiarities of dictionaries.

Nowadays the importance of electronic dictionaries is undisputable. These

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