[Lexicog] stereotypical beliefs and lexicography

[Wayne Leman]

Thapelo,

My own thought is that a thorough dictionary can, and perhaps should, include all derogatory information, but I think lexicographers can have a positive social role and clearly mark such lexical entries as rascist.

Wayne
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Wayne Leman
Cheyenne website: http://www.geocities.com/cheyenne_language


  How would such derogatory information be represented in dictionaries? "Its all Greek to me", may not be as offensive as "work like a Black" and I would think that "work like a slave" would also be less offensive. And does a lexicographer have a responsibility in challenging steretypes through dictionary entries? Or his role should be better seen as that of a scientist from without looking in as it were, merely describing the uses of language that he sees. But does impartiality really exist in these matters or one is either challenging the status quo or endorsing it (a Terry Eagleton position in the later chapter of Literary Theory )? Put differently, are certain entries like 'work like Black' racist when used by racist communities and also racist when entered and discussed by lexicographers? In this case the lexicographer guilty of participating in the development and sustainance of racist views. On the other hand, would it be accurate to leave ! them out from a dictionary?
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