Specialized dictionary
Encyclopedia
A specialized dictionary is a dictionary
that covers a relatively restricted set of phenomena. The definitive book on the subject (Cowie 2009) includes chapters on (among others) dictionaries of:
Dictionaries of idioms and slang are common in most cultures. Examples include (for French) the Dictionnaire des expressions et locutions, edited by Alain Rey
(Paris: Le Robert 2006), and (for English) Eric Partridge
's Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English (8th edition, London: Routledge 2002)http://www.partridge-slang.co.uk/. In the area of language learning
, there are specialized dictionaries for aspects of language which tend to be unproblematic for mother-tongue speakers but may cause difficulty for learners. These include dictionaries of phrasal verb
s, such as the Oxford Phrasal Verbs Dictionary (2nd edition, Oxford University Press: 2006, and dictionaries of collocation
, such as Macmillan Collocations Dictionary (Oxford: Macmillan 2010]]http://www.macmillandictionaries.com/features/how-dictionaries-are-written/macmillan-collocations-dictionary/.
One of the most common types of specialized dictionary is what is often referred to in English as a technical dictionary and in German as a Fachwörterbuch. These dictionaries cover the terminology
of a particular subject field or discipline. As described in Nielsen (1994), dictionaries of this type can be classified in various ways. A dictionary that covers more than one subject field is called a multi-field dictionary
; one that covers one subject field is called a single-field dictionary
; and one that covers a limited part of a subject field is called a sub-field dictionary
. A technical dictionary that attempts to cover as much of the relevant terminology as possible is called a maximizing dictionary, whereas one that attempts to cover only a limited part of the relevant terminology is called a minimizing dictionary.
Specialized dictionaries can have various functions, i.e. they can help users in different types of situation. Monolingual dictionaries can help users understand and produce texts, whereas bilingual dictionaries can help users understand texts, translate texts and produce texts, as described in e.g. Nielsen (1994) and Nielsen (2010).
Dictionary
A dictionary is a collection of words in one or more specific languages, often listed alphabetically, with usage information, definitions, etymologies, phonetics, pronunciations, and other information; or a book of words in one language with their equivalents in another, also known as a lexicon...
that covers a relatively restricted set of phenomena. The definitive book on the subject (Cowie 2009) includes chapters on (among others) dictionaries of:
- synonymSynonymSynonyms are different words with almost identical or similar meanings. Words that are synonyms are said to be synonymous, and the state of being a synonym is called synonymy. The word comes from Ancient Greek syn and onoma . The words car and automobile are synonyms...
s - pronunciations
- names (place names and personal names)
- phrases and idiomIdiomIdiom is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made...
s - dialect terms
- slang
- quotations
- etymologiesEtymologyEtymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...
Dictionaries of idioms and slang are common in most cultures. Examples include (for French) the Dictionnaire des expressions et locutions, edited by Alain Rey
Alain Rey
Alain Rey is a French linguist, lexicographer and radio personality. He is the editor-in-chief at French dictionary publisher Dictionnaires Le Robert.- Biography :...
(Paris: Le Robert 2006), and (for English) Eric Partridge
Eric Partridge
Eric Honeywood Partridge was a New Zealand/British lexicographer of the English language, particularly of its slang. His writing career was interrupted only by his service in the Army Education Corps and the RAF correspondence department during World War II...
's Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English (8th edition, London: Routledge 2002)http://www.partridge-slang.co.uk/. In the area of language learning
Second language acquisition
Second-language acquisition or second-language learning is the process by which people learn a second language. Second-language acquisition is also the name of the scientific discipline devoted to studying that process...
, there are specialized dictionaries for aspects of language which tend to be unproblematic for mother-tongue speakers but may cause difficulty for learners. These include dictionaries of phrasal verb
Phrasal verb
A phrasal verb is a combination of a verb and a preposition, a verb and an adverb, or a verb with both an adverb and a preposition, any of which are part of the syntax of the sentence, and so are a complete semantic unit. Sentences may contain direct and indirect objects in addition to the phrasal...
s, such as the Oxford Phrasal Verbs Dictionary (2nd edition, Oxford University Press: 2006, and dictionaries of collocation
Collocation
In corpus linguistics, collocation defines a sequence of words or terms that co-occur more often than would be expected by chance. In phraseology, collocation is a sub-type of phraseme. An example of a phraseological collocation is the expression strong tea...
, such as Macmillan Collocations Dictionary (Oxford: Macmillan 2010]]http://www.macmillandictionaries.com/features/how-dictionaries-are-written/macmillan-collocations-dictionary/.
One of the most common types of specialized dictionary is what is often referred to in English as a technical dictionary and in German as a Fachwörterbuch. These dictionaries cover the terminology
Terminology
Terminology is the study of terms and their use. Terms are words and compound words that in specific contexts are given specific meanings, meanings that may deviate from the meaning the same words have in other contexts and in everyday language. The discipline Terminology studies among other...
of a particular subject field or discipline. As described in Nielsen (1994), dictionaries of this type can be classified in various ways. A dictionary that covers more than one subject field is called a multi-field dictionary
Multi-field dictionary
A multi-field dictionary is a specialized dictionary that has been designed and compiled to cover the terms within two or more subject fields. Multi-field dictionaries should be contrasted with single-field dictionaries and sub-field dictionaries....
; one that covers one subject field is called a single-field dictionary
Single-field dictionary
A single-field dictionary is a specialized dictionary that has been designed and compiled to cover the terms of one particular subject field. Single-field dictionaries should be contrasted with multi-field dictionaries and sub-field dictionaries....
; and one that covers a limited part of a subject field is called a sub-field dictionary
Sub-field dictionary
A sub-field dictionary is a specialized dictionary that has been designed and compiled to cover the terms of one sub-fields of a particular subject field. It is therefore a sub-division of the class of dictionary called a single-field dictionary...
. A technical dictionary that attempts to cover as much of the relevant terminology as possible is called a maximizing dictionary, whereas one that attempts to cover only a limited part of the relevant terminology is called a minimizing dictionary.
Specialized dictionaries can have various functions, i.e. they can help users in different types of situation. Monolingual dictionaries can help users understand and produce texts, whereas bilingual dictionaries can help users understand texts, translate texts and produce texts, as described in e.g. Nielsen (1994) and Nielsen (2010).
Relevant literature
- Cowie, A.P. (ed.) (2009): The Oxford History of English Lexicography: Volume II Specialized Dictionaries, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Henning Bergenholtz/Sven Tarp (eds.) (1995): Manual of Specialised Lexicography. Benjamins.
- Sandro Nielsen (1994): The Bilingual LSP Dictionary. Gunter Narr.
- Sandro Nielsen (2010): "Specialised Translation Dictionaries for Learners". In: P. A. Fuertes-Olivera (ed): Specialised Dictionaries for Learners. Berlin/New York: de Gruyter, 69-82.