[Lexicog] Help, dictionary rules

[Ronald Moe]

Hi Richard,

 

1)       There are no agreed upon standard for encoding dictionary
information. However standards are being worked on. You can find one set of
widely used standard format markers in the Multi-Dictionary Formatter (MDF)
documentation available from the SIL website (http://www.sil.org/). MDF was
designed to be used with the Shoebox and Toolbox programs, also available
from the SIL website. We in SIL are also working on a standardized system of
capturing lexical data in the new FieldWorks program, also available from
the SIL website. FieldWorks contains a standard set of fields and allows a
user to set up custom fields. Other programs use other sets of fields. What
is missing (but being worked on) is an internationally agreed upon format
for sharing lexical data between programs.

There is also no agreed upon format for a published dictionary. You will
find many different practices. Some lexicographers define words by glossing
them with equivalents (synonyms in a monolingual dictionary, translation
equivalents in a bilingual dictionary). Other lexicographers prefer to use a
limited defining vocabulary of approximately 2000 simple words). Others
write definitions using semantically complex words.

There are differences in the way dictionaries are alphabetized. This is
especially obvious in dictionaries outside the European tradition where
alphabetical order follows a different tradition. But is even true in
English dictionaries, for instance in how spaces and hyphens are handled.

There are a number of introductory works on lexicography that you should
read in order to gain an understanding of the issues and procedures in
lexicography.

2)       I have a Koine Greek dictionary that I will send you (off list).

 

Ron Moe

 

  _____  

From: lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com
[mailto:lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of richard.goodgrief
Sent: Wednesday, October 24, 2007 11:53 PM
To: lexicographylist at yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Lexicog] Help, dictionary rules

 

Greetings,

I am very new at this. I have a few questions:

1) Does anyone know what the rules are for creating a dictionary? What 
are the standard format laws? Eg. use words no harder to understand 
than the word defined, use alphabetical listings, etc...

2) Where can I obtain a complete list of Greek morphemes, roots, 
prefixes and suffixes?

 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lexicography/attachments/20071026/f765ae39/attachment.htm>