Indigenous Lexicography: A Review of Recent Dictionaries and Works Relating to Lexicography

Abstract

AbstractIn this review essay, we compare five recent publications relating to dictionary work with Indigenous languages. The review covers three dictionaries, one monograph about lexicography in service of Indigenous language revitalization and the second volume of a two-volume dictionary-cum-encyclopedia. The structure of this review essay is as follows: following a brief introduction to each of the languages covered in these five publications, we include sections comparing orthographic choices and representations, internal structure and entry design, an examination of each dictionary’s approach to the incorporation of neologisms and the software choices made by compilers. In addition, we offer an analysis of each dictionary’s intended audience and access requirements, some structured reflections on authorship and ownership, an exploration of each project’s commitment to community engagement, strategies for the representation of dialectal variation and finally, relevant information about how each dictionary project was funded and resourced.