Requirements for an "ideal" bilingual L1 →L2 translation- oriented dictionary

I Burkhanov

doi:10.4314/lex.v14i1.51409

Abstract

The major aim of this article is to outline the requirements for an "ideal" bilingual L1 →L2 dictionary of the general vocabulary specifically designed for the purposes of professional translation. The article challenges three commonly accepted beliefs: (a) a bilingual dictionary equals a translation dictionary; (b) a bilingual dictionary is a source of immediately insertable lexical equivalents of lemmata; and (c) a bilingual dictionary solely furnishes semantic-pragmatic equivalents, whereas a monolingual dictionary always defines meanings of lexical items. It has been claimed that bilingual lexicography should be based on a clear-cut conception of the future reference work specified in terms of lexicographic parameters: (a) the intended user group; (b) the purpose of the dictionary; etc. An "ideal" bilingual L1 →L2 translation-oriented dictionary should be a reference work that is intended to serve the purpose of text production in L2. In the situation of professional translation, L2 text production is subject to two types of constraints: (a) constraints superimposed by the receptor language and culture; and (b) constraints superimposed by the source text. If constraints of the second type cannot be, in principle, envisaged, those of the first type can, and should be accounted for in a bilingual dictionary designed for the professional translator. The article specifies some of the requirements for such a reference work. Keywords: bilingual dictionary, translation dictionary, semanticpragmatic equivalence, interlingual equivalence, intralingual equivalence, defining technique, equivalence definition, periphrastic definition, explanatory definition, professional translation, translation theory, unit of translation.

Highlights

Opsomming: Vereistes vir 'n "ideale" tweetalige L1 →L2- vertaal-georiënteerde woordeboek
Each dictionary article in that reference work provides an explanatory definition in Russian intended to specify the elements of meaning shared by all the synonyms, and a detailed explication of each member of the synonym series with meaning discrimination as well as notes that account for the senses of the synonyms at issue which are close to the meaning under consideration and comments concerning their figurative senses
The majority of the existing bilingual dictionaries are compiled on the basis of the postulated cross-linguistic semantic-pragmatic correspondence between lexical items of an obligatory character

Summary

18 Igor Burkhanov

L2-teksproduksie onderhewig aan twee soorte beperkings: (a) beperkings opgelê deur die teikentaal en -kultuur; en (b) beperkings opgelê deur die bronteks geskryf in L1. In those theories the major emphasis is put not so much on the semantic-pragmatic content of lexical units, but on the inferencing of utterance meaning on the basis of contextual information, on the specific constraints as imposed by the discourse type, register, etc., as well as on other multifarious culture-specific aspects of communicative interaction In view of those developments in the theoretical study of translation, quite a number of experts have come to the conclusion that the very concept of translation equivalence is expendable, if not misleading (e.g. see Snell-Hornby 1988). The optimal translation-oriented bilingual dictionary should be applicable in the translator's attempts to produce an adequate target text that conforms to the requirements of translational norms, which implies facilitating his/her search of appropriate units of translation

Bilingual Dictionary and Translation Dictionary

Prospective Innovations in Translation Lexicography

Concluding Remarks