Afrikaans learner's dictionaries for a multilingual South Africa

Dictionaries have to be compiled in accordance with the specific needs and demands of a well-defined target user. Within the multilingual and multicultural South African society dictionaries should be aimed at the needs of the different groups of language learners. This article discusses aspects of Afrikaans learner's dictionaries. The emphasis is on the need and criteria for such dictionaries, the typical target user and on the nature of the macro- and microstructural information to be included. In a learner's dictionary the information should be presented in such a way that it can be retrieved without problems. Attention is given to various access structures employed to enhance the retrievability of information. It is argued that a restricted and simplified microstructure leads to a decrease in the density of information but to an increase in the explicitness and retrievability. The article proposes a different approach to the inclusion of certain types of encyclopedic information in learner's dictionaries.Keywords: access structures, addressing, density of information, encyclopedic information, explicitness, illustrative examples, learner's dictionary, macrostructure, metalexicography, microstructure, pictorial illustrations, retrievability, simplicity, target user, translation equivalent

Oseanologiewoordeboek engels–afrikaans/dictionary of oceanology english–afrikaan

Johann R.E. Lutjeharms. Oseanologiewoordeboek Engels–Afrikaans/Dictionary of Oceanology English–Afrikaans. 2004, xvi + 334 pp. ISBN 186890041X. Kaapstad/Cape Town: Pharos Woordeboeke/Dictionaries. Prys: R175

Lemmatisation of adjectives in Sepedi

One of the great challenges to compiling better dictionaries for the African languages is to develop sound strategies and procedures for planning the structure of the dictionaries. In this regard all the structural components of a dictionary, including the macrostructure, microstructure, mediostructure and access structure, come into play. Most dictionaries for African languages, including Sepedi dictionaries, fail even at this level. In this article the planning of especially the macrostructure in respect of one lexical category which has been unsatisfactorily treated in Sepedi dictionaries, namely the adjective, will be attempted. Secondly the lemmatisation of adjectives in six Sepedi dictionaries will be critically evaluated. This will be done with the emphasis on various metalexicographical aspects.Keywords: lemmatisation; adjectives; sepedi; macrostructure; user-perspectiv

Cross-referencing as a lexicographic device

The mediostructure, that is the system of cross-referencing, is a lexicographic device that can be used to establish relations among different components of a dictionary. This paper focuses on different mediostructural strategies and their practical application in general synchronic dictionaries. The structure of dictionaries is discussed from a metalexicographic perspective in order to explain the system of cross-referencing. It is shown how textual cohesion, achieved by the interaction of the various structural components, is promoted by the use of a system of cross-referencing and improved by an innovative approach towards a mediostructure-orientated lexicography. Keywords: cross-referencing; mediostructure; lexicography; dictionary; metalexicography; reference entry; reference relation; reference address; african language

Genetic stock structure of white steenbras Lithognathus lithognathus (Cuvier, 1829), an overexploited fishery species in South African waters

White steenbras Lithognathus lithognathus (Teleostei: Sparidae) is an overexploited marine fish species endemic to South Africa. Overexploitation in recreational, subsistence and commercial fisheries has resulted in stock collapse and the need for improved management of the species. Adults are thought to undertake large-scale annual spawning migrations, yet studies of their movement indicate low levels of connectivity among coastal regions. To address this, mitochondrial DNA sequencing and genotyping of microsatellite loci in the nuclear genome were conducted to determine the genetic stock structure and level of gene flow in this species. Genetic diversity was high throughout the species’ core distribution, with no evidence of isolation by way of distance or localised spawning. Low, non-significant pairwise fixation indices (FST, RST and Jost’s Dest) indicated low genetic differentiation and high levels of gene flow. The observed results, and agreement between mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA, confirm that white steenbras exists as a single genetic stock with high levels of gene flow throughout its distribution.The South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), a grant from Marine and Coastal Management, and the University of Pretoria.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tams202019-01-30hj2017Genetic

Oseanologiewoordeboek Engels–Afrikaans/Dictionary of Oceanology English–Afrikaans

The original publication is available at http://lexikos.journals.ac.za/pubReview: Johann R.E. Lutjeharms. Oseanologiewoordeboek Engels–Afrikaans/Dictionary of Oceanology English–Afrikaans. 2004, xvi + 334 pp. ISBN 186890041X. Kaapstad/Cape Town: Pharos Woordeboeke/Dictionaries. Prys: R175.Publisher's versio

'n Woord van AFRILEX/A Few Words from AFRILEX

Dit is nogmaals 'n voorreg vir AFRILEX om met hierdie uitgawe van Lexikos vereenselwig te word ? enersyds oor die gehalte van die teoretiese werk en die verslag oor die aard en omvang van die praktiese leksikografie wat in hier-die uitgawe aangebied word maar andersyds veral ook oor die bestek van die bydraes en bydraers. AFRILEX is 'n vereniging vir Afrika maar ook vir leksi-kograwe van buite Afrika. En dit blyk uit hierdie uitgawe. Dit is goed om 'n verskeidenheid bydraes van buite Afrika in te sluit maar dit is ook belangrik dat bydraes vanuit Afrika nie beperk is tot Suid-Afrika nie. Veral verblydend is die toevoeging van 'n nuwe afdeling "Leksikofokus" met die klem in hierdie uitgawe op die werk deur die ALRI-projek in Zimbabwe. Ons hartlike dank aan elkeen wat in hierdie uitgawe van Lexikos help om AFRILEX se doelwitte en doelstellings te bereik

Op pad na 'n nuwe woordeboektipologie

The lexicographic practice was established during a pretheoretical era with the first dictionaries responding to the real needs of real users and not to criteria laid down by theoretical lexicographers. Different types of dictionaries emerged due to the varying needs of a wide variety of potential dictionary users. Throughout the early development of lexicographic practice the work was dominated by a user-driven approach, resulting in dictionaries being compiled to serve as utility instruments. During the first phases of the development of theoretical lexicography much attention was focussed on typological models and to criteria relevant for each dictionary category within the relevant typological model. Unfortunately this often led to dictionaries being compiled according to typological criteria instead of being a response to user needs. This paper focuses on various aspects of the existing typological classifications and on situating these classifications within the context of a general theory of lexicography. Utilising the results of the more recent emphasis on lexicographic functions it is maintained that a less rigid approach is necessary in the classification of dictionaries. Typological classification should rather be done according to lexicographic functions and not only according to established models. A brief discussion of the development of lexicographic theory indicates a shift from a linguisticbased approach to an approach characterised by its emphasis on dictionary structures and eventually to an approach that introduced lexicographic functions. It is shown that the typological classification is still largely dominated by a linguistic bias. Various aspects of the traditional typological classification are discussed, including the proposal from theoretical lexicographers that dictionary classes should not be regarded as isolated compartments. Allowance should be made for an interaction between the different classes with dictionaries displaying features from more than one typological category. The focus in this discussion is on the call to introduce lexicographic functions as a determining factor in the classification of dictionaries. An introduction to some aspects of lexicographic functions is followed by a closer look at different user situations and different user types. The needs and reference skills of a well-identified target user group should determine the functions of any dictionary. These user-based functions should then determine the nature of the dictionary type. Although changes are proposed for the current typological classification, it is not suggested that all existing typological categories should be abandoned or altered. In many cases the same classification should be maintained. It is suggested that a stronger functional approach should lead to the introduction of more unambiguous subtitles, explicating the function of a given dictionary, e.g. Helping with the reading/ writing/ translation of a text. What is regarded as extremely important is that dictionaries should no longer be compiled to obey the criteria of a typological category, isolated from the real situation of dictionary use, and that dictionaries should respond to the needs of users and should realise different communication and cognitive functions. A functional integration of typological features will reflect the needs of the target users rather than the formal criteria of a given typological classification in the planning, compilation and eventual classification of a dictionary. Copyright © 2007 NISC Pty Ltd.Articl

Integrated dictionary use of specialised dictionaries for learners

CITATION: Gouws, R. H. 2009. Geintegreerde woordeboekgebruik van vakwoordeboeke vir aanleerders. Lexikos, 2009:72-93, doi:10.5788/19-0-431.The original publication is available at http://lexikos.journals.ac.zaFollowing a brief discussion of learner's dictionaries and specialised dictionaries the attention is focused on specialised dictionaries for learners. The relevant learners targeted by these dictionaries can either be learners of a language or learners of a subject field. Both these types of learners are discussed as well as specialised dictionaries aimed at learners of both a language and the subject field. With reference to the South African lexicographic environment and the assignment of the national lexicographic units it is argued that specialised dictionaries for learners can play a significant role in establishing a dictionary culture but also in preventing a further lexicographically lost generation. The concept of integrated dictionary use is introduced and discussed, with specific reference to specialised dictionaries for learners. The benefits of multifield technical dictionaries for learners are indicated and aspects of different structures of these dictionaries are discussed. It is argued that for such dictionaries an amalgamated central text is preferred to an amalgamated macrostructure.Na 'n kort bespreking van aanleerderwoordeboeke en vakwoordeboeke word die fokus verskuif na vakwoordeboeke vir aanleerders. Die aanleerders wat hier ter sprake kom, kan aanleerders van 'n taal en/of aanleerders van 'n vakgebied wees. Albei hierdie tipes leerders word bespreek asook daardie vakwoordeboeke wat op aanleerders van sowel 'n taal as die vak gerig is. Met verwysing na die Suid-Afrikaanse leksikografiese omgewing en die opdrag van die nasionale woordeboekeenhede, word aangevoer dat vakwoordeboeke vir aanleerders 'n wesenlike rol kan speel in die vestiging van 'n woordeboekkultuur, maar ook die voorkoming van 'n verdere leksikografies verlore generasie. Die konsep van geïntegreerde woordeboekgebruik word ingevoer en bespreek, met spesifieke verwysing na vakwoordeboeke vir aanleerders. Die voordeel van mul-tiveldvakwoordeboeke vir aanleerders word aangetoon en aspekte van verskillende strukture van sulke woordeboeke word bespreek. Daar word aangevoer dat vir sulke woordeboeke 'n geamalga-meerde sentrale teks verkieslik is bo 'n geamalgameerde makrostruktuur.http://lexikos.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/431Publisher's versio