Dictionaries of Canadian English

Abstract

<p>Abstract: The lexicographical record of English in Canada began with wordlists of the late eighteenth, nineteenth, and early twentieth centuries. From the beginning of the twentieth century onwards, the general vocabulary of English in Canada has been represented in bilingual and monolingual dictionaries, often adapted from American or British dictionaries. In the 1950s, several important projects were initiated, resulting in the publication of general dictionaries of English in Canada, and of dictionaries of Canadianisms and of the vocabulary of particular regions of Can-ada. This article gives an overview of these dictionaries and of their reception, contextualizing them in the larger picture of the lexicography of Canada's other official language, French, and of a number of its non-official languages. It concludes by looking at the future of English-language lexicography in Canada, and by observing that although it has, at its best, reached a high degree of sophistication, there are still major opportunities waiting to be taken.</p><p>Keywords: DICTIONARY, LEXICOGRAPHY, CANADIAN ENGLISH, CANADIANISMS, NATIONAL DICTIONARIES, CANADIAN FRENCH, CANADIAN FIRST NATIONS LAN-GUAGES, BILINGUAL DICTIONARIES, REGIONAL DICTIONARIES, UNFINISHED DICTIONARY PROJECTS</p><p>Opsomming: Woordeboeke van Kanadese Engels. Die leksikografiese optekening van Engels in Kanada begin met woordelyste van die laat agtiende, neëntiende en vroeë twintigste eeue. Van die begin van die twintigste eeu af en verder, is die algemene woordeskat van Engels weergegee in tweetalige en eentalige woordeboeke, dikwels met wysiginge ontleen aan Ameri-kaanse en Britse woordeboeke. In die 1950's is verskeie belangrike projekte onderneem wat gelei het tot die publikasie van algemene woordeboeke van Engels in Kanada, en van woordeboeke van Kanadeïsmes en van die woordeskat van bepaalde streke van Kanada. Hierdie artikel gee 'n oorsig van dié woordeboeke, en van hul ontvangs, deur hulle in die konteks te plaas van die groter pa-troon van die leksikografie van Kanada se ander offisiële taal, Frans, en van 'n aantal van sy nieamptelike tale. Dit eindig deur na die toekoms van Engelstalige leksikografie in Kanada te kyk, en deur op te merk dat, alhoewel dit, op sy beste, 'n hoë graad van sofistikasie bereik het, daar nog belangrike geleenthede wag om te benut.</p><p>Sleutelwoorde: WOORDEBOEK, LEKSIKOGRAFIE, KANADESE ENGELS, KANADE-ISMES, NASIONALE WOORDEBOEKE, KANADESE FRANS, KANADESE EERSTENASIETALE, TWEETALIGE WOORDEBOEKE, STREEKSWOORDEBOEKE, ONVOLTOOIDE WOORDEBOEK-PROJEKTE</p>

Keywords

• DICTIONARY
• LEXICOGRAPHY
• CANADIAN ENGLISH
• CANADIANISMS
• NATIONAL DICTIONARIES
• CANADIAN FRENCH
• CANADIAN FIRST NATIONS LAN-GUAGES
• BILINGUAL DICTIONARIES
• REGIONAL DICTIONARIES
• UNFINISHED DICTIONARY PROJECTS