现代英语词汇学概论最强版复习资料chapter12

Chapter 12 English Dictionaries and How to Use Them

?12.1 Introductory Remarks

?12.2 Types of Dictionaries

?12.3 The Choice of a Dictionary

?12.4 How to Use a Dictionary

12.1 Introductory Remarks

A.Lexicology and dictionaries

1.Lexicology is closely related to dictionaries .

2.The principles of modern dictionary –making and the contents of each entry

are based on the findings of lexicology, while the materials provided in

dictionaries are widely used by lexicologists in their research .

B.Trends of English dictionaries –prescriptive and descriptive dictionaries

12.2 Types of Dictionaries

A.Linguistic and Encyclopedic Dictionaries

?Linguistic dictionaries

1.Linguistic dictionaries aim at defining words and explaining their usages in the

language.

2.They usually cover such areas as spelling, pronunciation, meaning, grammatical

function, usage and etymology, etc.

3.These dictionaries can be monolingual and bilingual.

?Encyclopedic dictionaries

1.Encyclopedic dictionaries can be further divided into encyclopedia and

encyclopedic dictionaries.

2.An encyclopedia is not concerned with language but provides encyclopedic

information concerning each headword.

3.The reader cannot find pronunciation or meanings or usages of words.

4.Encyclopedic dictionaries have the characteristics of both linguistic dictionaries

and encyclopedia.

eg. The Encyclopedia Britannica (20 volumes)《大英百科全书》（20卷）The Encyclopedia Americana (30 volumes)《美国百科全书》（30卷）

Chamber‘s Encyclo-pedic English Dictionary (1994; 200,000 words)《钱伯斯百科词典》

B.General and special dictionaries

?General dictionaries

1. A generic dictionary is one which attempts to cover the whole lexicon of the

language.

2.General dictionaries mainly provide linguistic information of words

3.Dictionaries compiled for general use—to look for spelling, meaning,

pronunciation, usage, etc.

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?Special dictionaries

1. A special dictionary deals with one sector of the lexicon.

2.Special dictionaries usually provide the meanings and contents

3.Such special dictionaries meet the multifarious needs of people who learn or use

the Englishlanguage, such as dictionaries of synonyms and antonyms, idioms, slang, dialect ,pronunciation ,usage ,collections ,etymology , proverbs ,quotation , acronyms and abbreviations ,neologisms ,foreign words ,etc.

C.Monolingual and Bilingual Dictionaries

?Monolingual dictionaries

1.Monolingual dictionaries are few in number and are usually limited to scientific

and technical words .

2.Monolingual dictionaries are generally compiled by native speakers of either

language .

?Bilingual dictionaries

1.Bilingual dictionaries involve two languages.

2.Words and expressions are defined in another language.

D.Synchronic and diachronic dictionaries 共时和历时字典

E.Unabridged ,medium –sized ,and pocket dictionaries

eg. 1) Unabridged Dictionaries（大型词典150000 words+）

2) Desk Dictionaries (50000 + words)

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English,《朗文当代英语词典》

Collins COBUILD English Dictionary, 《柯林斯COBUILD英语词典》

3) Pocket Dictionaries (50000- words)

Oxford Pocket English Chinese 《牛津袖珍英汉双解词典》

Collins New English Dictionary《柯林斯最新英语词典》

4) Electronic Dictionaries (E-dictionary)

This kind of dictionary, monolingual or bilingual, takes the form of a calculator but works like a computer (《文曲星》《快译通》) .

F.Ideological dictionaries意识形态的字典

G.Monolingual dictionaries for non-native learners

12.3 The Choice of a Dictionary

A.Suitability

B.Contents

C.Authority

D.Up-to-date-ness

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12.4 How to Use a Dictionary

A.Read the introduction and guide to the use of the dictionary

B.Make full use of the entry contents

C.Choose the right meaning

D.Know the inadequacies of the dictionary

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