Disregarding the Corpus: Head-word and Sense Treatment in Shona Monolingual Lexicography*

  • Webster M. Mavhu African Languages Research Institute (ALRI), University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5788/13-0-732
Keywords: CORPUS, CORPUS-BASED, FREQUENCY, HEADWORD, LEXICOGRAPHY, SENSE, SHONA, SLANG, SYNONYMS

Abstract

Abstract: With specific reference to Shona monolingual lexicography, this article discusses how corpus-based lexicographers might, in some instances, decide not strictly to adhere to the corpus when it comes to headword and sense treatment. The writer is a member of the African Languages Research Institute (ALRI), formerly known as the African Languages Lexical (ALLEX) Project. ALRI is a nonfaculty interdisciplinary unit dedicated to research on and the development of African languages in Zimbabwe. The writer is part of the six-member team that compiled the now published Shona monolingual, synchronic, medium-sized and general-purpose dictionary Du-ramazwi Guru ReChiShona (2001). The article originates from the writer's experience of working on this dictionary. The article highlights the fact that being corpus-based does not necessarily imply being corpus-bound.Keywords: CORPUS, CORPUS-BASED, FREQUENCY, HEADWORD, LEXICOGRAPHY, SENSE, SHONA, SLANG, SYNONYMSOpsomming: Verontagsaming van die korpus: Trefwoord- en betekenisbe-handeling in die Sjona- eentalige leksikografie. Met spesifieke verwysing na die Sjona- eentalige leksikografie bespreek hierdie artikel hoe korpusgebaseerde leksikograwe in som-mige gevalle kan besluit om nie streng by die korpus te bly wanneer dit kom by trefwoord- en betekenisbehandeling nie. Die skrywer is 'n lid van die African Language Research Institute (AL-RI), vroeër bekend as die African Languages Lexical (ALLEX) Project. ALRI is 'n niefakulteits- interdissiplinêre eenheid wat hom beywer vir navorsing oor en die ontwikkeling van die Afrikatale in Zimbabwe. Die skrywer is deel van 'n span van ses lede wat die reeds gepubliseerde Sjona- een-talige, sinchroniese, middelgroot en meerdoelige woordeboek Duramazwi Guru ReChiShona (2001) saamgestel het. Die artikel het uit die skrywer se ervaring van werk aan hierdie woordeboek ont-staan. Die artikel belig die feit dat korpusgebaseerdheid nie noodwendig korpusgebondenheid impliseer nie.Sleutelwoorde: BETEKENIS, FREKWENSIE, KORPUS, KORPUSGEBASEER, LEKSIKO-GRAFIE, SINONIEME, SJONA, SLENG, TREFWOORD
How to Cite
Mavhu, W. M. (1). Disregarding the Corpus: Head-word and Sense Treatment in Shona Monolingual Lexicography*. Lexikos, 13. https://doi.org/10.5788/13-0-732
Issue
Vol. 13 (2003)
Section
Lexikonotas/Lexiconotes

Copyright of all material published in Lexikos will be vested in the Board of Directors of the Woordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal. Authors are free, however, to use their material elsewhere provided that Lexikos (AFRILEX Series) is acknowledged as the original publication source.

Creative Commons License CC BY 4.0