The Socially Responsible Lexicographer in Oceania

Abstract

While lexicographers have often seen themselves as 'harmless drudges', scholars have increasingly pointed out that there are many aspects of lexicography that are inherently political. The recent writings of Muhlhausler, in fact, argue that lexicography (and other acts of linguistic description) constitute a 'very serious trespass on the linguistic ecology of an area', which can ultimately lead to a language's demise. This paper critically examines views such as these in the context of community expectations of lexicographical researchers in the Oceanic region. Much lexicographical research on indigenous languages of this region has in the past been geared towards satisfying the needs of academics, but there is a greater expectation now that we must also satisfy the needs of researched communities. A range of options is suggested for making dictionaries more accessible to speakers of indigenous languages, yet at the same time meeting the requirements for academically respectable publications.