Sense Relations in the Treatment of Meaning in Isichazamazwi SesiNdebele

Abstract

Abstract: This article evaluates how meaning has been treated in Isichazamazwi SesiNdebele (2001) through the application of the sense relations hyponymy, meronymy and synonymy. It attempts to establish the adequacy of meaning presentation in definitions given to headwords. It assesses how the application of sense relations contributes to the user-friendliness of the definitions, the accessibility of the dictionary con-tents and the semantic analysis of lexemes in dictionaries. It aims to give insights that will help refine and improve future dictionary definitions. The article reveals that hyponymy and meronymy facilitate the for-mulation of more user-friendly and accessible dictionary definitions. On the other hand, synonym definitions reduce the user-friendliness and accessibility of the definitions in dictionary types that are not dictionaries of synonyms. As dictionary making is a part or a form of standardizing a language, it ought to be as accurate as possible in the presentation of semantic facts which is a reflection of the ultural values and ideologies of the society.