Lexicography in the Information Age

  • Sven Tarp Centre for Lexicography, Aarhus School of Business, Aarhus, Denmark
Keywords: LEXICOGRAPHY, LEXICOGRAPHIC TOOLS, INFORMATION NEEDS, IN-FORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY

Abstract

Abstract: Lexicography has much to contribute to the information and knowledge society. The very essence of lexicography is its capacity to provide quick and easy access to data from which information needed by different types of users in different types of social situations can be retrieved. In this respect, the article discusses the concepts of information and knowledge related to lexicographic theory. On this basis, it argues that lexicography, if it concentrates on its core capacity, has the potential to be projected beyond the limits of known dictionaries. It proposes that besides the communicative and cognitive user situations that have already been dealt with in lexicographic literature, a third situation, the so-called operational situation, should also be added to the situations relevant to lexicographic theory. In this regard, it points out that other reference works than those traditionally discussed in lexicographic theory should be added to the list of utility tools that may benefit from a lexicographic approach.Keywords: LEXICOGRAPHY, LEXICOGRAPHIC TOOLS, INFORMATION NEEDS, IN-FORMATION AND KNOWLEDGE SOCIETYOpsomming: Leksikografie in die inligtingsera. Leksikografie het baie om by te dra tot die inligtings- en kennisgemeenskap. Die werklike essensie van die leksikografie is sy ver-moë om vinnige en maklike toegang te verleen tot gegewens waarvan inligting benodig deur ver-skillende soorte gebruikers in verskillende soorte maatskaplike situasies verkry kan word. In hier-die verband bespreek die artikel die begrippe inligting en kennis met betrekking tot die leksikogra-fiese teorie. Op grond hiervan voer dit aan dat die leksikografie, indien dit op sy kernvermoë kon-sentreer, die moontlikheid besit om verby die grense van bekende woordeboeke gevoer te word. Dit stel voor dat, benewens die kommunikatiewe en kognitiewe gebruikersituasies wat reeds in die leksikografiese literatuur behandel is, 'n derde situasie, die sogenaamde operasionele situasie, by die situasies tersaaklik vir die leksikografiese teorie gevoeg behoort te word. In hierdie verband toon dit aan dat ander naslaanwerke as dié wat tradisioneel in die leksikografiese teorie bespreek word, ook by die lys nutsgereedskap wat uit 'n leksikografiese benadering mag voordeel trek, gevoeg behoort te word.Sleutelwoorde: LEKSIKOGRAFIE, LEKSIKOGRAFIESE GEREEDSKAP, INLIGTINGS-BEHOEFTES, INLIGTINGS- EN KENNISGEMEENSKAP
How to Cite
Tarp, S. (1). Lexicography in the Information Age. Lexikos, 17. https://doi.org/10.5788/17-0-1170
Section
Artikels/Articles