The role of microstructure, with reference to English and Northern Sotho-English dictionaries: A comparative lexicographic analysis

Abstract

This study is a comparative analysis of two English monolingual dictionaries and two Northern Sotho – English bilingual dictionaries, namely Concise Oxford English Dictionary(2006), Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary (2006), Pharos Popular Northern Sotho Dictionary (1995) and Sesotho Sa Leboa – English Pukuntšu Dictionary (2006). The above four dictionaries are compared in terms of cross – referencing, pronunciation and parts of speech. The microstructure of certain dictionaries does not address most problems that dictionary users have. It is in the microstructure, where dictionary users learn that certain lemmata are synonymous, polysemous in sense, antonyms or that a lemma has two alternative spellings, and that both spelling are acceptable. This is done through cross –referencing. Dictionary users need to be guided on how lemmata are pronounced, otherwise the meaning of lemmata become distorted. The other problem which the microstructure has to deal with, is to indicate the type of parts of speech lemmata are. This research is an attempt to make lexicographers aware of the importance of including the above aspects in the microstructure of their dictionaries.