[Lexicog] popular lexicography

[Ron Moe]

It is all too easy to succumb to the temptation to pride oneself on one's
"sophistication" and demean others by labelling them with pejorative terms.
We must be humble enough to admit our limitations and acknowledge that we
will always be learners. On the other hand, amateur doctors and pharmacists
can kill, and amateur architects can design bridges that will collapse under
a load. We ask for and expect a level of professionalism from those that we
rely on for advice and assistance. The same is true of lexicographers.
People expect answers from us. We may claim that we are describing, not
proscribing. But that will not stop people from looking in our dictionaries
for the correct way to spell a word or for an understanding of the meaning
of a word that they are not familiar with. They will be let down or led
astray by an amateurish job that doesn't adequately record the phonemic and
phonetic representation of words, or that fails to accurately reflect the
way words are used.

I'm working hard to develop materials that bring lexicography within the
reach of amateurs. They need training and they need materials to guide them.
But with that help they can do the majority of the work. So I certainly do
not demean their contribution. But I wouldn't be able to do what I do
without the time and insight that being a professional enables me to bring
to the task. Nor would I be able to guide them or correct their mistakes
unless I knew more than they do. I'm constantly looking for insights in the
literature. I'm not a know-it-all. But my study has enabled me to learn a
lot from the masters. The language communities that I deal with highly value
my professional expertise. Their faces light up when I tell them that they
can contribute significantly to the process. They are highly motivated to
write down the words in their heads and describe what they mean. I've been
thanked many times for my help. Before I came along there was nothing. With
my help they were able to accomplish a lot. I can't do it without them
because there are too few of us. They can't do it without me because they
don't know how. Together we make great progress. So I applaud the
contribution of amateurs and I applaud the contribution of professionals.

Ron Moe

-----Original Message-----
From: Jimm GoodTracks [mailto:goodtracks at gbronline.com]
Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 2004 8:35 PM
To: lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Lexicog] popular lexicography



What is the need to label such dictionaries?  Is it to boast one's
professional linguistic sophistication?  There are "dictionary" word lists
and phrases composed by the community Ioway, Otoe-Missouria elders.  Their
contribitions to the community language literacy is noted and regarded.
Community members still find their materials of value.  Their notations have
been incorporated in to a more standard orthography based on linguistic
knowledge.  Yet, for many of the community members, the "unsophisticated"
writting systems can be a stepping stone for them into a more dignified and
phonetically correct orthography.  Perhaps this need to label is simply a
professional academic exercise amongst peers which has little reception and
value for the members in the language community itself for whom they wish to
assist with language documentation, lexicography, etc. to bring literacy and
maintainence to the eommunity speakers.
nada mas
jimm

----- Original Message -----
From: "phil cash cash" <pasxapu at DAKOTACOM.NET>
To: <lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 03, 2004 3:40 PM
Subject: Re: [Lexicog] popular lexicography


>
> in summary, here is the suggested alternatives all of you gave to
> "popular lexicography".
>
> folk lexicography
> amateur lexicography
> naive lexicography
> innocent lexicography
> non-professional lexicography
> unsophisticated lexicography
>
> thanks,
> phil cash cash
>
>
>
>
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>






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