[Lexicog] archaic entries

Wayne Leman wayne_leman at SIL.ORG
Fri Feb 10 23:20:23 UTC 2006


Well, after reading John's message, did I get archaic and obsolete exchanged with each other in meaning? It just shows how little I know about the meaning of some words, even though I have used them myself in dictionary making. Hmmpf.  :-)
  I think that both obsolete and archaic are useful lexicographical categories, but must reflect actual usage of a language community, not the views of a lexicographer working in the abstract.

  I understand archaic to refer to a form which is not in use by anyone currently speaking a language. I understand obsolete to refer to a form which is in use by a very small number of speakers of a language and is probably on its way to becoming archaic.

  Wayne
  -----
  Wayne Leman
  Cheyenne website: http://www.geocities.com/cheyenne_language
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lexicography/attachments/20060210/4f99bd6f/attachment.htm>


More information about the Lexicography mailing list