Abstract
Electronic dictionaries should support dictionary users by giving them guidance in text production and text reception, alongside a user-definable offer of lexicographic data for cognitive purposes. In this article, we sketch the principles of an interactive and dynamic electronic dictionary aimed at text production and text reception guiding users in innovative ways, especially with respect to difficult, complicated or confusing issues. The lexicographer has to do a very careful analysis of the nature of the possible problems to suggest an optimal solution for a specific problem. We are of the opinion that there are numerous complex situations where users need more detailed support than currently available in e-dictionaries, enabling them to make valid and correct choices. For highly complex situations, we suggest guidance through a decision tree-like device. We assume that the solutions proposed here are not specific to one language only but can, after careful analysis, be applied to e-dictionaries in different languages across the world.
Highlights
In lexicography, the electronic era was met with great enthusiasm and expectations
We do not assume that the type of solutions we offer below are applicable to all lexical items in all text production or text reception information needs — the lexicographer will have to do a very careful analysis of the nature of the possible problems to suggest an optimal solution for a specific problem, and in many cases users may not need complex solutions
Wiktionary3, the online dictionary that belongs to Wikipedia, as well as the Oxford English Dictionary Online4 provide examples of site maps for dictionary entries: they offer an overview of their articles in terms of clickable headlines
Summary
The electronic era was met with great enthusiasm and expectations. Early publications on electronic dictionaries were all about the potential of the new medium and the expected revolution it would bring along, thereby antiquating the paper dictionary in a decade or two. The first step, would be to select a number of examples and to describe these in detail, deciding on the nature of the solution to be offered in each case, for example, in a text production or in a text reception situation Once this is described in detail, it will have to be formalised according to an XML schema, a database structure or another data representation format which will need to be designed in such a way that it will make provision for different levels of complexity and detail.
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