Microstructure of explanatory dictionary: the peculiarities
of presenting semantic information Cover Image

Aiškinamojo žodyno mikrostruktūra: semantinės informacijos pateikimo ypatumai
Microstructure of explanatory dictionary: the peculiarities of presenting semantic information

Author(s): Daiva Murmulaitytė
Subject(s): Theoretical Linguistics, Lexis, Semantics
Published by: Lietuvių Kalbos Institutas
Keywords: lexicography; explanatory dictionary; microstructure of a dictionary; semantics; lexical meaning; derivational meaning;

Summary/Abstract: The goal of this article is to analise several cases of semantic data presentation in explanatory dictionaries in order to show that lexicography is not just a practical and applied discipline. The article also aims at explaining how semantic information indictionaries is provided, how derivational and lexical meanings are correlating with each other, how the semantic relationships are reflected by the manner of presenting the chosen data, what it says to the linguist and to an ordinary dictionary user. Several aspects are reviewed in the article: the general explanation of lexemes in a polysemic word entry, the relationship between derivational and lexical semantics of words, bound definitions, sub meaning (shades of meaning) distinctions and their presentation in a dictionary entry. It also analyses how the structure of a dictionary entry reflects the semantic structure of a word, the hierarchy of its meanings, their relationship, what additional information a dictionary user can get by only studying lexeme arrangement in the entry. On the basis of extensive examples from various dictionaries, it is shown that even the formal aspects on semantic and derivational information presentation in the explanatory dictionary could be related to feedback on lexical semantics or word formation research and their results. The place of information in the microstructure of a dictionary entry, data presentation order,and etc., aspects of lexicographic technique are important not only for the practical work of a lexicographer; and lexicography is not only dictionary-making practice, but also a certain system of result recognition, i.e. a science.

  • Issue Year: 2017
  • Issue No: 90
  • Page Range: 1-24
  • Page Count: 24
  • Language: Lithuanian