[Lexicog] Lacunae-what should then go in the dictionary?

Peter Kirk peterkirk at QAYA.ORG
Mon Apr 26 09:09:17 UTC 2004


On 26/04/2004 00:25, Cami Borza wrote:

> ...
>
> The problem that I have encountered is that the natives came up with
> lots of words for plants and animals (and not only) that they don't
> know what it is in French. So, I ended up with a long, long lists of
> "sort of...(plant, animal etc.)". Now that is more or less OK for now,
> for this little dictionary. But what about a bigger, broader
> dictionary? There might be plants or animals that have not even been
> discovered yet by "westerners" or botanists or zoologists!?
>
> But even if we don't go that far, what would you guys do with this
> kind of words that the natives do not know what it is in the national
> language or language of broader circulation? For example: one of our
> project gave me about 10 different words for different kinds of
> "manioc" (a plant they eat in Congo). Their national language is
> French and I'm sure they have no idea what those words would be in
> French. So, what is a lexicographer supposed to do in this case?


I would think that the lexicographer ought to find a botanist or
zoologist and get them to visit the area, or if that is impossible take
samples or photographs. They should be able to give scientific names,
and French terms if any exist. The prospect of finding new species might
well encourage them to help you.

--
Peter Kirk
peter at qaya.org (personal)
peterkirk at qaya.org (work)
http://www.qaya.org/



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