The Treatment of Encyclopedic Information in Duramazwi reMimhanzi

Abstract

Abstract: This article presents the problems and challenges of dealing with encyclopedic information in Shona lexicography. According to Zgusta (1971: 198), encyclopedic dictionaries are primarily concerned with the denotata of the lexical units. They give information about the extra-linguistic world, physical or non-physical. In other words, encyclopedic dictionaries contain extensive information on lexical entries. The arti-cle focuses on how such encyclopedic information is collected, selected, entered and treated. Emphasis is on identifying the problems and challenges experienced by lexicographers at the four main stages of dictionary making. It also presents solutions to the encountered difficulties. It brings out discernible patterns in the treatment of encyclopedic information. The analysis, from the collection stage up to the treatment stage, is done with reference to the relatively long history of compiling linguistic dictionaries in Shona.