The Use of Pictorial Illustrations in African Language Dictionaries
Abstract
ABSTRACT: This article examines the use of pictorial illustrations in African language dictionar-ies, with particular reference to items generally included in dictionaries based on Stein's (1991) categories. It argues for the need to include more illustrations of cultural items specific to a par-ticular community and language group in dictionaries. A corpus analytic survey is done to deter-mine if African language dictionaries employ pictorial illustrations and, if so, which items are illus-trated. The results of this survey indicate that only a few African language dictionaries employ pictorial illustrations, even those that do correspond to Stein's categories. Of the dictionaries exam-ined, only one uses illustrations in the form of full-colour photographs, namely of different kinds of cattle, a very important cultural item within that specific community.Keywords: PICTORIAL ILLUSTRATIONS, CULTURE, LEXICOGRAPHY, BILINGUAL DIC-TIONARY, MONOLINGUAL DICTIONARY, AFRICAN LANGUAGE*****OPSOMMING: Die gebruik van beeldillustrasies in Afrikataalwoordeboeke. Hierdie artikel ondersoek die gebruik van beeldillustrasies in Afrikataalwoordeboeke met spesiale verwysing na items wat gewoonlik in woordeboeke ingesluit word, gebaseer op Stein (1991) se kategorieë. Dit betoog vir die noodsaaklikheid om meer illustrasies van kulturele items eie aan 'n besondere gemeenskap of taalgroep in woordeboeke in te sluit. 'n Analitiese oorsig van 'n korpus is gedoen om te bepaal of Afrikataalwoordeboeke beeldillustrasies gebruik, en, indien wel, watter items geïllustreer word. Die resultate van hierdie oorsig toon aan dat slegs 'n paar Afrikataalwoor-deboeke beeldillustrasies gebruik, selfs dié wat met Stein se kategorieë ooreenstem. Van die woor-deboeke wat ondersoek is, gebruik net een illustrasies in die vorm van volkleurfoto's, naamlik van verskillende soorte beeste, 'n baie belangrike kulturele item binne daardie spesifieke gemeenskap.Sleutelwoorde: BEELDILLUSTRASIES, KULTUUR, LEKSIKOGRAFIE, TWEETALIGE WOORDEBOEK, EENTALIGE WOORDEBOEK, AFRIKATAAL
Published
2011-10-20
How to Cite
Gangla-Birir, L. (2011). The Use of Pictorial Illustrations in African Language Dictionaries. Lexikos, 15. https://doi.org/10.5788/15-0-3
Issue
Section
Artikels/Articles
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