Abstract
The function theory of lexicography argues that specialised lexicographical products must help learners to transform their information needs into aspects of knowledge of the discipline, and of its discursive properties. Lexicographers, then, must combine information and data access with the user’s need for information and knowledge. To achieve this aim they need to devise theories providing solutions to different lexicographical problems. One such theory has recently been proposed by Tarp (2008), who claims that there are four categories which are central to a general theory of learner’s lexicography: users, user situation, user needs, and dictionary assistance. This paper focuses on dictionary assistance and addresses several lexicographical issues connected with polysemy: the selection of the lemmata of some printed English-Spanish/Spanish-English business dictionaries, their entry structures, sense differentiation, and sense ordering. The analysis leads the author to discuss some proposals with the aim of making business dictionaries more pedagogically oriented, and to include a set of principles pedagogically-oriented business dictionaries must have. They are illustrated in a model entry which has been compiled by rearranging one of the entries studied according to the proposals and principles previously discussed.
Highlights
The function theory of lexicography argues that specialised lexicographical products must help learners to transform their information needs into aspects of knowledge of the discipline, and of its discursive properties
The Function Theory of Lexicography Over the course of a number of years Bergenholtz/Tarp (2003, 2004) have defended a transformative view of lexicography, and have presented lexicography as an area of social practice and independent science concerned with analysing and building dictionaries which can satisfy the needs of a specific type of user with specific types of problems related to a specific type of user situation
This functional approach to lexicography, called the function theory of lexicography or the theory of lexicographical functions, “shifts the focus from actual dictionary users and dictionary usage situations to potential users and the social situation in which they participate.” (Tarp 2008: 40) understanding the lexicographical implications of different extra-lexicographical social situations is a necessary metalexicographical exercise which may shed light on the changing needs of potential users. Within this general theoretical framework this paper focuses on business dictionaries. It presents the prototypical characteristics of printed business dictionaries, discusses some basic principles of pedagogical lexicography, and offers some specific proposals connected with dictionary assistance, which is one of the four categories Tarp (2008) considers central to a general theory of learner’s lexicography
Summary
Researchers on printed business dictionaries (see Bergenholtz/Tarp 1995; Fuertes-Olivera/Velasco-Sacristán 2001; Fuertes-Olivera/Arribas-Baño 2005, 2008; Fuertes-Olivera/Nielsen, 2008; Fuertes Olivera/ Tarp, 2008; Andersen/Fuertes-Olivera, 2009) assume that business is different from other specialised languages because we all have a working knowledge of core business activities such as selling and buying, and because business does not have clear boundaries, as it includes activities learnt by practice or through formal education (for example, selling a house or understanding a balance sheet). The fact that students can be considered an identifiable user group reinforces the claim made in this paper for offering specific proposals for making specialised (for example, business) dictionaries more pedagogically-oriented
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