Lexicographic Sources in the Lithuanian Language Worldview Research

Abstract

The article examines the use of dictionaries in the language worldview research. It raises questions about the limitations of the “lexicographic worldview“, presents researchers’ doubts about the objectivity and scientificity of this type of research, and provides arguments in favor of the research. The second part of the article introduces and discusses the procedure of lexicographic analysis in more detail. Examining the image of the MOTHER concept reflected in Lithuanian lexicography, the thought is put forward that the reliability of such an analysis is guaranteed by its complexity. At the same time, it is emphasized that analysis of the concept should in no way be based solely on lexicographic sources, drawing conclusions about the structure of the concept on the basis of only a few examples, possibly accidentally included in the dictionary. An important role in the reconstruction of the concept is played by the stability of the distinguished features, their regular repetition in various texts, the constancy of the lexemes / phrases / phrasemes conveying these features, and their persistence in speech.

Keywords

• lexicography
• dictionaries
• concept
• meaning
• panchrony
• folklore