How to Do Language Policy with Dictionaries

Open Access

Abstract

Abstract: The lexicographical presentation of terms from the field of language planning often lacks clear and unambiguous distinction and proper explanation. Too often dictionaries even fail to include these terms in the lemma list, and some central terms have not been treated in any general or special purpose dictionary. This article utilises results from research in the field of language policy to make suggestions for the lexicographical presentation and treatment of a number of relevant terms. The emphasis on a distinction between language policy as applied to the intralingual and the interlingual level and the motivation for the introduction of the notion of a communication policy should help lexicographers to give a more comprehensive account of terms from this field and it will also benefit scholars in the field of language policy. A second aspect of this article is the discussion of ways in which dictionaries participate in the implementation of language policy. It is indicated that lexicographers make ever so many decisions of a language political nature. In this regard the lexicographical influence of issues like linguistic hegemony and language purism are discussed. Suggestions are also made for future lexicographical procedures.Keywords: COMMUNICATION POLICY, INTERLINGUAL, INTRALINGUAL, LANGUAGEPLANNING, LANGUAGE POLICY, LANGUAGE PROMOTION, LEXICOGRAPHY,LINGUISTIC HEGEMONY, PRESCRIPTIVE, PURISMOpsomming: Hoe om taalbeleid met woordeboeke te bepaal. Die leksikografieseaanbieding van terme uit die veld van taalbeplanning kort dikwels duidelike en ondubbelsinnigeonderskeiding en behoorlike verklaring. Woordeboeke laat te dikwels na om hierdie terme indie lemmalys in te sluit, en sommige kernterme word in geen algemene of vakwoordeboek behandelnie. Hierdie artikel benut resultate van navorsing op die terrrein van taalbeplanning om voorstellete maak vir die leksikografiese aanbieding en behandeling van 'n aantal relevante terme. Dieklem op die onderskeid tussen taalbeleid soos dit toegepas word op die intratalige en intertaligevlak en die motivering van die invoering van die idee van 'n kommunikasiebeleid behoort leksikograwete help om 'n meer omvattende verslag te bied van terme vanuit hierdie veld en dit sal ooknavorsers op die terrein van taalpolitiek bevoordeel. 'n Tweede aspek van hierdie artikel is diebespreking van maniere waarop woordeboeke deelneem aan die implementering van taalpolitiek.Daar word aangedui dat leksikograwe talle besluite van 'n taalpolitieke aard neem. In hierdie verbandword die leksikografiese invloed op kwessies soos linguistiese hegemonie en taalpurismebespreek. Voorstelle word ook gemaak vir toekomstige leksikografiese werkswyses.Sleutelwoorde: INTERTALIG, INTRATALIG, KOMMUNIKASIEBELEID, LEKSIKOGRAFIE,LINGUISTIESE HEGEMONIE, PRESKRIPTIEF, PURISME, TAALBELEID, TAALBEPLANNING,TAALBEVORDERING