How to make a dictionary - 6.11.2007

LEXICAL DATABASES


Semasiological dictionaries:

– the basic form is a table
● the rows are lexical entries, with a specific microstructure
● the columns are single types of lexical information

– if the orthography or phonology of a lexical item is
ambiguous, then

● either the item is repeated with the new information

● or a sub-table is created

– but this depends on the kind of ambiguity:

● homonymy (homography, homophony)
● polysemy

Homonym --> spelling & pronounciation of two words are the same

Homograph --> spelling the same & pronounciation different

Homophom --> spelling different & pronounciation the same

The basic model of a table:
- Table: a list of rows
- Row: a list of fields
- Column: a list of fields in the same row position

Illustration of table construction in OpenOffice/ MS-Excel: