Theoretical Challenges to Practical Specialised Lexicography

Abstract

<p>Abstract: During the last decades, part of lexicography has developed into an independent science with an elaborated system of theories based on the users' needs and corresponding dictionary functions. lhis also applies to specialised lexicography. Many lexicographers, however, still refuse to view their discipline as an independent science and treat it as a subdiscipline, i.e. of linguistics, or they consider specialised lexicography as something different from lexicography in general (which is the case with part of the so-called terminographers). Both interpretations have unfortunate consequences for lexicographic theory and practice. The great challenge now is to strengthen lexicography as a science, and to apply its system of scientific theories to the practical planning and compilation of specialised dictionaries. A look at existing dictionaries shows that there is still a lot of work to be done. Due to economic, editorial and other limitations, a great deal of pragmatism is often practised when compiling a concrete specialised dictionary. Lexicographic pragmatism might be necessary, but in order to be successful it must be guided by theory.</p><p>Keywords: COMMUNICATION-ORIENTATED FUNCTION, CULTURAL INFORMATION, DICTIONARY, ENCYCLOPAEDIA, ENCYCLOPAEDIC INFORMATION, GENUINE PURPOSE OF A DICTIONARY, GRAMMATICAL INFORMATION, KNOWLEDGE-ORIENTATED FUNCTION, LEXICOGRAPHIC FUNCTION, LEXICOGRAPHIC PRAGMATISM, LEXICOGRAPHIC SKILLS, LEXICOGRAPHY, LINGUISTIC SKILLS, LSP DICTIONARY, LSP LEXICOGRAPHY, PRACTICAL LEXICOGRAPHY, SEMANTIC INFORMATION, SPECIALISED DICTIONARY, SPECIALISED LEXICOGRAPHY, SUBJECT-FIELD SKILLS, TERMINOGRAPHY, TERMINOLOGY, THEORETICAL LEXICOGRAPHY, USER CHARACTERISTICS, USER NEEDS, USER SITUATIONS, USER-ORIENTATED LEXICOGRAPHY</p><p>Opsomming: Teoretiese uitdagings vir die praktiese gespesialiseerde leksikografie.Gedurende die laaste dekades het 'n deel v~ die leksikografie in 'n onafhanklikewetenskap ontwikkel met 'n uitvoerige stelsel van teorie€! gebaseer op gebruikersbehoeftes en korresponderendewoardeboekfunksies. Oit is oak van toepassing op die gespesialiseerde leksikografie.Baie leksikograwe weier egter steeds om hulle dissipline as 'n onafhanklike wetenskap te sienen hanteer dit as 'n subdissipline, d.w.s. van die linguistiek, of hulle beskou gespesialiseerde leksikografieas iets anders as algemene leksikografie (wat die geval is met 'n deel van die sogenaamdeterminograwe). Albei interpretasies het ongelukkige gevolge vir die leksikografiese teorie en praktyk. Die groot uitdaging is nou om die leksikografie as 'n wetenskap te konsoIideer, en om sy stetselvan wetenskapIike teoriee op die praktiese beplanning en sames telling van gespesiaIiseerdewoordeboeke toe te pas. 'n Kykie na bestaande woordeboeke wys dat daar nog baie werk is watgedoen moet word. Weens ekonomiese, redaksionele en ander beperkings word 'n groot mate vanpragmatisme toegepas wanneer 'n konkrete gespesialiseerde woordeboek saamgestel word. Leksikografiesepragmatisme mag nodig wees, maar om suksesvol te wees moet dit deur teorie geleiword.</p><p>Sleutelwoorde: KOMMUNIKASIE-GEÖRIËNTEERDE FUNKSIE, KULTURELE INLIGTING,WOORDEBOEK, ENSIKLOPEDIE, ENSIKLOPEDIESE INLIGTING, WARE DOEL VAN 'NWOoRDEBOEK, GRAMMATIESE INLIGTING, KENNIS-GEÖRIËNTEERDDE FUNKSIE, LEKSIKOGRAFIESEFUNKSIE, LEKSIKOGRAFIESE PRAGMATISME, LEKSIKOGRAFIESE VAARDIGHEDE,LEKSlKOGRAFIE, TAALKVNDIGE VAARDIGHEDE, TSD-WOORDEBOEK, TSD-LEKSIKOGRAFIE,PRAKTIESE LEKSIKOGRAFIE, SEMANTIESE INLIGTING, GESPESIALlSEERDEWOORDEBOEK, GESPESIALlSEERDE LEKSIKOGRAFIE, VAKGEBIEDVAARDIGHEDE, TERMINOGRAFIE,TERMINOLOGIE, TEORETIESE LEKSIKOGRAFIE, GEBRUIKERSEIENSKAPPE,GEBRUIKERSBEHOEFTES, GEBRUIKERSITUASIES, GEBRUIKER-GEÖRIËNTEERDE LEKSIKDGRAFIE</p>

Keywords

• COMMUNICATION-ORIENTATED FUNCTION, CULTURAL INFORMATION, DICTIONARY, ENCYCLOPAEDIA, ENCYCLOPAEDIC INFORMATION, GENUINE PURPOSE OF A DICTIONARY, GRAMMATICAL INFORMATION, KNOWLEDGE-ORIENTATED FUNCTION, LEXICOGRAPHIC FUNCTION, LEXICOGRAPHIC PRAGMATISM, LEXICOGRAPHIC SKILLS, LEXICOGRAPHY, LINGUISTIC SKILLS, LSP DICTIONARY, LSP LEXICOGRAPHY, PRACTICAL LEXICOGRAPHY, SEMANTIC INFORMATION, SPECIALISED DICTIONARY, SPECIALISED LEXICOGRAPHY, SUBJECT-FIELD SKILLS, TERMINOGRAPHY, TERMINOLOGY, THEORETICAL LEXICOGRAPHY, USER CHARACTERISTICS, USER NEEDS, USER SITUATIONS, USER-ORIENTATED LEXICOGRAPHY