[Lexicog] Lacunae

[Benjamin Barrett]

In Korean, the word koso-hada is a good example. It's primary meaning is to
have the aroma/flavor of sesame. It also means to have schadenfreude. In
dictionaries I've seen, such words are glossed only from the source side
(here, Korean). I think that greatly inconveniences the reader and lessens
the value of a dictionary.
 
I propose to gloss the word on the English side as well under aroma, smell,
flavor, taste and sesame for the primary meaning, and schadenfreude, laugh,
enjoy and misfortune for the secondary one. I wonder on the one hand whether
this causes a ballooning in space required, but on the other whether
decreasing English references would cause English speakers to miss this
important concept...
 
Benjamin Barrett

-----Original Message-----
From: Wayne Leman [mailto:wayne_leman at sil.org] 



In your research, what (apparent) lexical lacunae have you encountered,
where there is lack of lexicalization for concepts which seem to be part of
the culture of the language speakers?

Wayne Leman
Cheyenne project

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