Grammatical Data in the Dictionary of Montenegrin National and Literary Language

Abstract

Dictionaries are generally consulted to ascertain the meaning of a word. However, the meaning is inseparable from its grammatical features, which often determine it. Therefore, this article examines the type, scope, and method of presenting grammatical data in a comprehensive general dictionary. The aim is to analyze and ascertain the morphological and syntactic characteristics of all types of words recorded in what is currently the only such dictionary of the newly standardized Montenegrin language. Attention is also given to the applied metalanguage, representing a combination of transparent abbreviations and natural language. The initial hypothesis about the heavy reliance on the inherited Serbo-Croatian lexicographic practice is confirmed, but certain deviations from this tradition are also noted, which aligns with the dictionary's goal of presenting grammatical data more accessibly and comprehensively to its target users. Keywords: grammatical data, grammatical marker, general descriptive dictionary, Dictionary of Montenegrin National and Literary Language, Serbo-Croatian language dictionaries