[Lexicog] circular definitions

[Peter Kirk]

On 08/03/2004 07:27, Patrick Hanks wrote:

>
> ...  From the point of view of ordinary
> dictionary users looking up an unfamiliar word, which type of
> definition is
> more useful?  The "Turdus turdus" type, or the (circular)  "male cow"
> type?
>
As an occasional user of monolingual dictionaries to look up rare words
in languages which I have learned (in the absence of good bilingual
dictionaries), I find the Turdus turdus type of definition much more
useful than the male cow type. "Male cow" doesn't help me at all if I
don't know what a cow is. A description of the animal or bird is sone
help. But what is really useful is a scientific name as I can then look
that up in an English language reference book and find out exactly what
animal or bird is being referred to.

Of course one might argue that a monolongual dictionary is intended to
be useful only for those who know the language quite well, and so of
course know common words like "cow". But in that case it might be better
to leave "cow" undefined, rather than offer a crcular definition which
helps no one.

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



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