South Africa's New African Language Dictionaries and their Use for the African Speech Communities
Keywords:
LEXICOGRAPHY, GENERAL DICTIONARIES, RESTRICTED DICTIONARIES, ONLINE DICTIONARIES, CELL PHONE DICTIONARIES, LANGUAGE DOCUMENTATION, LANGUAGE STANDARDIZATION, EMPOWERMENT, COMMUNICATION, PSYCHOLOGI-CAL FACTOR, SOCIOLINGUISTICS, LANGUAGE PLANNING
Abstract
Abstract: During the last 15 years, the lexicographic scene in South Africa changed drastically as many new dictionaries for the African languages were compiled. The different dictionary types and publication modes discussed in this article are: general dictionaries, restricted dictionaries, printed dictionaries, electronic dictionaries, online and cell phone dictionaries. Although there are different dictionary types, they all have three major uses for the speech communities. Dictionaries are useful tools for language documentation and standardization, as they try to cover and document the general vocabulary (general dictionaries) or the spe-cialized vocabulary (technical dictionaries). They empower the language users because they help to improve communication by providing users with the necessary vocabulary they need. In addition, dictionaries have a high symbolic value for a language. Having dictionaries, and especially technical, online or cell phone dic-tionaries, is the visible proof that a language is standardized and modern, and can be used in all domains of life.Keywords: LEXICOGRAPHY, GENERAL DICTIONARIES, RESTRICTED DICTIONARIES, ONLINE DICTIONARIES, CELL PHONE DICTIONARIES, LANGUAGE DOCUMENTATION, LANGUAGE STANDARDIZATION, EMPOWERMENT, COMMUNICATION, PSYCHOLOGI-CAL FACTOR, SOCIOLINGUISTICS, LANGUAGE PLANNINGOpsomming: Suid-Afrika se nuwe Afrikataalwoordeboeke en hul gebruik vir die Afrikataalgemeenskappe. Gedurende die afgelope 15 jaar het die leksikografiese toneel in Suid-Afrika ingrypend verander deurdat baie nuwe woordeboeke vir die Afrikatale saamgestel is. Die verskillende woordeboeksoorte en publikasievorme wat in hierdie artikel bespreek word, is: algemene woordeboeke, beperkte woordeboeke, gedrukte woordeboeke, aan-lyn- en selfoonwoordeboeke. Alhoewel daar verskillende woordeboeksoorte is, het hulle almal drie hoofgebruike vir die taalgemeenskappe. Woordeboeke is nuttige werktuie vir taaldokumentasie en -standaardisering deurdat hulle probeer om die algemene woordeskat (algemene woordeboeke) en die gespesialiseerde woordeskat (tegniese woordeboeke) te dek en te dokumenteer. Hulle bemagtig die taalgebruikers omdat hulle kommunikasie verbeter deur die gebruikers van die nodige woordeskat wat hulle benodig, te voorsien. Daarbenewens het woordeboeke 'n hoë simboliese waarde vir 'n taal. Om woordeboeke te besit, en veral tegniese, aanlyn- en selfoonwoordeboeke, is 'n sig-bare bewys dat 'n taal gestandaardiseer en modern is, en op alle terreine van die lewe gebruik word.Sleutelwoorde: LEKSIKOGRAFIE, ALGEMENE WOORDEBOEKE, BEPERKTE WOOR-DEBOEKE, AANLYNWOORDEBOEKE, SELFOONWOORDEBOEKE, TAALDOKUMENTASIE, TAALSTANDAARDISERING, BEMAGTIGING, KOMMUNIKASIE, SIELKUNDIGE FAKTOR, SOSIOLINGUISTIEK, TAALBEPLANNING
How to Cite
Klein, J. (1). South Africa’s New African Language Dictionaries and their Use for the African Speech Communities. Lexikos, 19. https://doi.org/10.5788/19-0-447
Issue
Section
Lexikonotas/Lexiconotes
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