A comparative analysis of cross-referencing with special reference to Northern Sotho monolingual dictionary and Northern Sotho-English bilingual dictionaries

Abstract

This study evaluates the comparative analysis of cross-referencing in Northern Sotho monolingual dictionary and Northern Sotho-English bilingual dictionaries. The study argues that Northern Sotho-English Lexicographers do not treat cross-referencing in accordance with the lexicographic theories and principles. Since in this study cross-referencing is treated with regard to synonyms and antonyms only, the study has discovered that there are many problems in relation to the application of cross-referencing in these dictionaries. This enables dictionary users to follow it with ease, because if theories are not adhered to, then the motive for using dictionaries becomes null and void. The other thing is that lexicographers mix the translation equivalents of partial synonyms and complete synonyms, that is, partial synonyms are paired with complete synonyms, thus leading to orthorgraphic errors. Moreover, the study discovered that some emerging lexicographers are attempting to apply cross-referencing in their dictionaries, something which is a very good attempt. Therefore, the study recommends that major theories and principles of lexicography should be indicated in the front matter of the dictionaries. This will be to make sure that lexicographers themselves know about those theories, as that will make their dictionaries very useful to their readers.