Abstract
With the popularity of electronic dictionaries, multimodality plays an increasingly important role in lexicography. To broaden the horizons of e-dictionary definitions, this article argues for the establishment of a new term, multimodal definition, as a key component of multimodal lexicography. This term integrates verbal definitions and the complementary multimodal resources from a holistic viewpoint of meaning. In a multimodal definition, a dynamic meaning ecology can be formed, with two critical variables functioning, (semiotic) mode selection and intermodal synergy. In this ecology, meaning expressed verbally can be multiplied in four dimensions: content, form, space and time. Future directions for research are discussed, including dictionary user studies and multimodal corpora. The findings of this article shed light on the construction of a theoretical model for e-lexicography which remains an urgent task in the ongoing digital revolution.
Highlights
In the new era of digital media, electronic dictionaries (e-dictionaries) are booming as a common tool of language learning and use
To deepen our understanding of meaning representation in e-dictionaries, we propose the term multimodal definition under the umbrella of multimodal lexicography proposed by Lew (2010)
212 Xiqin Liu http://lexikos.journals.ac.za a unified framework of multimodal lexicography (Lew 2010) and multimodal discourse analysis1 from a systemic functional perspective (O'Halloran 2008), the present study was guided by the following research questions: 1) Is the concept of multimodal definition necessary in practice and theory? 2) What are the dominant variables operating in the semantic ecology of multimodal definitions? 3) In which dimensions can meaning be multiplied in this ecology?
Summary
In the new era of digital media, electronic dictionaries (e-dictionaries) are booming as a common tool of language learning and use. As the heart of meaning representation in a dictionary, definition plays a key role in stating or explaining the meaning of a word or phrase. To deepen our understanding of meaning representation in e-dictionaries, we propose the term multimodal definition under the umbrella of multimodal lexicography proposed by Lew (2010). It is tentatively defined as "(the act of) meaning explanation of a word or phrase with multimodal devices for achieving better defining effect than language does alone, especially in an edictionary". 212 Xiqin Liu http://lexikos.journals.ac.za a unified framework of multimodal lexicography (Lew 2010) and multimodal discourse analysis from a systemic functional perspective (O'Halloran 2008), the present study was guided by the following research questions: 1) Is the concept of multimodal definition necessary in practice and theory? 2) What are the dominant variables operating in the semantic ecology of multimodal definitions? 3) In which dimensions can meaning be multiplied in this ecology?
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