#Lexiconotes: Dictionaries and Productive Tasks in a Foreign Language

Lexiconotes

Dictionaries and Productive Tasks in a Foreign Language

Paul Bogaards

1. Introduction

The process of making dictionaries involves three main steps: collection, description and presentation. 

• The collection of data has seen dramatic changes over twenty-five years. Nowadays, for many languages, there are text corpora containing more numerous varied material, especially for the English language, in which the corpora are easily available. They contain not only literary texts, but also general newspapers, scientific, administrative and other or more less specialized sources, and more transcripts of radio and television broadcasts. As a result, the corpora provides two types of formal and informal production. 
• At the level of linguistic description, the last decade has seen a number of significant improvements. KWIC (Keyword in context) software, for instance, makes it possible to oversee the word use in a given context. Insight has been gained into questions concerning the distinction of senses of polysemous words, the status of collocations, idioms, and other types of chunks. There is a much greater awareness of the data and phenomenon of the term called 'lexicon'.
• As the third field of lexicography, there is much less progress can be reported in terms of dictionary presentation. A number of studies have been conducted on the relative importance of monolingual, bilingual or bilingualized dictionaries for L2 learners. However, we still do not know what type of dictionary and what kind of lay-out is most convenient for which users or how we must proceed in order to improve the success rate in dictionary use. In the initial stage, it is also not clear how learners could make their choice nor how teachers or dictionary compilers could guide then in their choice.

2. An Example of Dictionary Use

In this paper, the author gives an example of dictionary use. The author introduces his imaginary friend whose native language is French and is learning English. This friend wants to say or write something in English and is prepared to look up words in the dictionary. Since this friend speak two languages, he uses both bilingual and monolingual dictionaries. However, there are many challenges he needs to face in order to find the right translation in English, not to mention the structure and patterns of particular English words. 

3. Comments

The author has tried to make it clear that for this virtual dictionary user, the information cannot be found in one dictionary and it is not always tailored to his needs as well. The author also convinced that the task of the dictionary user is systematically underestimated. Even if the information is there, the user might have difficulties to interpret them and to adapt them to the context at hand. As a result, many users might give up or end up with incorrect solutions. 

Bagaimana untuk merujuk artikel ini: 

Bogaards, P. (2005). Dictionaries and productive tasks in a foreign language. Kernerman Dictionary News, 13, 20-23.