Basic Problems of Learner's Lexicography *

  • Sven Tarp Department of African Languages and Cultures, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium; Xhosa Department, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, Republic of South Africa; and TshwaneDJe HLT, Pretoria, Republic of South Africa
Keywords: LEXICOGRAPHY, LEARNER'S LEXICOGRAPHY, LEARNER'S DICTIONARIES, GENERAL THEORY OF LEARNER'S LEXICOGRAPHY, LEXICOGRAPHIC FUNCTIONS, COMMUNICATION-ORIENTATED FUNCTIONS, KNOWLEDGE-ORIENTATED FUNCTIONS, FOREIGN-LANGUAGE TEXT RECEPTION, FOREIGN-LANGUAGE TEXT PRODUCTION, ASSIMILATIONS OF THE FOREIGN-LANGUAGE SYSTEM, LEARNERS' CHARACTERISTICS, USER NEEDS, USER SITUATIONS, LEXICOGRAPHIC DATA, LEXICOGRAPHIC STRUCTURE

Abstract

Abstract: In general, learner's dictionaries suffer from the fact that lexicography has beentreated as a subdiscipline of linguistics and not as an independent discipline and that, correspondingly,no serious efforts have been made to develop a general theory of learner's dictionaries withinthe general theory of lexicography. Such a theory must undoubtedly be developed on the basis ofthe theory of lexicographic functions. Foreign language learning is a complex process and the veryconcept of a learner is in no way unambiguous. Dictionaries can be conceived to assist the learnerin different aspects of the language-learning process. Accordingly, at least four main functions of alearner's dictionary can be distinguished corresponding to the following user situations: text receptionin the foreign language, text production in the foreign language, conscious study of the foreign-language lexis and conscious study of the foreign-language grammar. Learner's dictionariesare, thus, not to be considered a special type of dictionaries, but constitute a more general categoryincluding various types of learner's dictionaries according to their functions or combination offunctions. The great challenge to learner's lexicography is to conceive and compile dictionaries thatassist the learner in as many aspects of the language-learning process as possible.Keywords: LEXICOGRAPHY, LEARNER'S LEXICOGRAPHY, LEARNER'S DICTIONARIES,GENERAL THEORY OF LEARNER'S LEXICOGRAPHY, LEXICOGRAPHIC FUNCTIONS,COMMUNICATION-ORIENTATED FUNCTIONS, KNOWLEDGE-ORIENTATED FUNCTIONS,FOREIGN-LANGUAGE TEXT RECEPTION, FOREIGN-LANGUAGE TEXT PRODUCTION, ASSIMILATIONSOF THE FOREIGN-LANGUAGE SYSTEM, LEARNERS' CHARACTERISTICS,USER NEEDS, USER SITUATIONS, LEXICOGRAPHIC DATA, LEXICOGRAPHIC STRUCTURESOpsomming: Basiese probleme van die aanleerdersleksikografie. Oor diealgemeen ly aanleerderswoordeboeke onder die feit dat die leksikografie as 'n subdissipline vandie linguistiek behandel is en nie as 'n onafhanklike dissipline nie en dat, ooreenkomstig, geenernstige pogings aangewend is om 'n algemene teorie van aanleerderswoordeboeke binne die algemeneteorie van die leksikografie te ontwikkel nie. So 'n teorie moet ongetwyfeld ontwikkel wordmet die teorie van leksikografiese funksies as basis. Die aanleer van 'n vreemde taal is 'n komplekseproses en selfs die konsep van 'n aanleerder is geensins duidelik nie. Woordeboeke kan bedinkword om die aanleerder met verskillende aspekte van die taalaanleerproses te help. Gevolglik kanten minste vier hooffunksies van 'n aanleerderswoordeboek, wat ooreenstem met die volgendegebruikersituasies, onderskei word: teksresepsie in die vreemde taal, teksproduksie in die vreemdetaal, bewuste studie van die leksis van die vreemde taal en bewuste studie van die grammatika vandie vreemde taal. Aanleerderswoordeboeke moet dus nie as 'n besondere soort woordeboeke beskou word nie, maar vorm 'n meer algemene kategorie wat verskillende soorte aanleerderswoordeboekevolgens hul funksies of kombinasie van funksies insluit. Die groot uitdaging vir dieaanleerdersleksikografie is om woordeboeke te bedink en te maak wat die aanleerder help metsoveel aspekte van die taalaanleerproses as moontlik.Sleutelwoorde: LEKSIKOGRAFIE, AANLEERDERSLEKSIKOGRAFIE, AANLEERDERSWOORDEBOEKE,ALGEMENE TEORIE VAN AANLEERDERSLEKSIKOGRAFIE, LEKSIKOGRAFIESEFUNKSIES, KOMMUNIKASIEGEORIËNTEERDE FUNKSIES, KENNISGEORIËNTEERDEFUNKSIES, VREEMDETAALTEKSRESEPSIE, VREEMDETAALTEKSPRODUKSIE, ASSIMILASIEVAN DIE VREEMDETAALSISTEEEM, AANLEERDERSEIENSKAPPE, GEBRUIKERSBEHOEFTES,GEBRUIKERSITUASIES, LEKSIKOGRAFIESE DATA, LEKSIKOGRAFIESE STRUKTURE
How to Cite
Tarp, S. (1). Basic Problems of Learner’s Lexicography *. Lexikos, 14. https://doi.org/10.5788/14-0-691
Section
On Learners' Dictionaries