[Lexicog] Re: Using older dictionaries

[billposer at ALUM.MIT.EDU]

A problem with working from older dictionaries that I am surprised
that no one has mentioned is that if one follows the order of entries
in the older dictionary, from a topical point of view you will be
skipping around all over the place (unless its a topical dictionary).
My experience with Carrier speakers is that they find such skipping
around very disconcerting. All of them tire more quickly if you do
this, and many of them actually get grumpy or non-responsive. The only
dimension along which most of them see language as organized is topical,
and they are much more comfortable discussing the vocabulary for a
particular topic. If I am doing something that does not follow a topical
organization (checking miscellaneous queries, checking a certain grammatical
form over a bunch of verbs, re-eliciting items from old sources), I have
found that it is necessary to do only a little bit at a time and to
observe the person I am working with for signs of distress, boredom, or
fatigue. I try to keep a list of topical questions that I can intersperse
with the non-topical queries even if the latter are my priority.

The strength of this phenomonen probably varies with the nature and
extent of metalinguistic consciousness of the informant, but my impression
is that it is by no means limited to Carrier people or those similarly
situated.

Old sources can be quite valuable but I would use them only as a source
of suggestions for things to elicit/look for, not as a source
from which to copy with necessary modifications.

Bill



------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lexicographylist/

<*> Your email settings:
    Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
    http://groups.yahoo.com/group/lexicographylist/join
    (Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
    lexicographylist-digest at yahoogroups.com 
    lexicographylist-fullfeatured at yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
    lexicographylist-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
    http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/