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Lexikos

Publisher:
—
ISSN:
1684-4904
Category:
LINGUISTICS
Impact factor:
0.9
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11 parsed articles

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Latest articles

Out-of-the-Box GPTs for Lexicography

2025-12-09

Gilles-Maurice de Schryver

A detailed analysis is offered of how ChatGPT-3.5 has treated the world's languages for lexicographic purposes, starting with hyper-visible English, moving to semi-visible Portuguese, and ending with low-visible Bantu languages. Case studies for the latter group are region-visible Swahili, nation-visible Xhosa and local-visible Lusoga. This impact-based scale is reflected in the uptake of GenAI technology for lexicography. The results of using out-of-the-box ChatGPT-3.5 are fantastic for English, fake for Portuguese, and simply fail for the Bantu languages. But there is a way out, and the seeds for that are sown in this article. Keywords : generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), large language models (LLMs), generative pre-trained transformer (GPT), out-of-the-box GPTs, lexicography, dictionaries, lexicographers, English, Portuguese, Bantu, Swahili, Xhosa, Lusoga

A Systematic Literature Review of Over Three Decades of Dictionary Use Research in Lexikos

2025-12-09

Balázs Fajt, Mátyás Bánhegyi, Katalin P. Márkus

This study presents a systematic literature review of empirical research on dictionary use published in the journal Lexikos over its 35-volume history (1991–2025). The paper employs the PRISMA methodology. Based on 44 relevant studies identified, the review analyses trends in research focus, methodology, educational context, geographic distribution, and investigated languages. Findings reveal a growing interest in dictionary use, particularly since 2012, with a strong emphasis on English-language contexts and higher education. Methodologically, mixed-methods and cross-sectional designs dominate, while longitudinal research remains notably absent. Asia and Europe are the most represented regions, although studies span diverse global contexts. The review highlights underexplored areas such as primary education, non-English dictionary use, and longitudinal perspectives. The review also calls for future research that addresses these gaps, explores dictionary use at different language proficiency levels, and examines the pedagogical integration of digital dictionary tools. The findings provide valuable insights for researchers aiming to investigate dictionary use and dictionary-based learning. Keywords: dictionary use, systematic review, user behaviour, PRISMA, methodology, Lexikos , language education, empirical studies, quantitative research, qualitative research, mixed methods research

Spelling Variations in A Dictionary of Setswana Personal Names

2025-11-24

Thapelo J. Otlogetswe, Goabilwe Ramaeba

This paper investigates spelling variation in A Dictionary of Setswana Personal Names (Otlogetswe and Ramaeba 2024), addressing a gap in existing research which has previously focused on general-purpose monolingual Setswana dictionaries (Otlogetswe 2015) but not specialized dictionaries such as the one on personal names. The study draws on orthographic guidelines outlined in the Standard Orthography of 1981 (Ministry of Education 1981) and Mokwalo o o Lolameng wa Setswana (Chebanne et al. 2008), while also tracing the historical development of Setswana orthography to early works by Lichtenstein (1928–1930; 1973) and Livingstone (1875). Using textual analysis, the paper critically examines dictionary headwords to identify and categorize spelling variants. The findings reveal numerous inconsistencies in the spelling of Setswana personal names, influenced by factors such as the coexistence of older and newer orthographic standards, dialectal variation across Setswana-speaking regions, and underlying morphological and phonological processes. Keywords: spelling variation, A Dictionary of Setswana Personal Names , Setswana, orthography

One Name, Two Genres: The Curious Case of Polish Encyclopaedias of Law

2025-09-30

Agnieszka Rzepkowska

This study examines Polish legal reference works through systematic analysis of publications labelled as encyclopaedias of law, addressing a gap in legal metalexicography. It sheds some light on the typology and characteristics of such volumes. The library survey revealed two types of Polish encyclopaedias of law: lexicographic works with alphabetically ordered entries presenting fragmented knowledge and monographic works structured in chapters that resemble academic textbooks. In fact, in the majority of cases, only opening a given work lets the user learn what type of publication it is. The study describes 78 works published between 1842 and 2023 in terms of the publication year, the fields of law covered, size, scope and target users. The analysis demonstrates that lexicographic encyclopaedias of law predominantly specialise in specific legal fields and employ various systematisation techniques including cross-referencing and thematic indices, while monographic encyclopaedias of law primarily address general Polish law for educational purposes. An important observation emerging from this study is that monographic publications, despite their textbook-like structure, share fundamental characteristics with lexicographic ones and serve complementary knowledge-organizing functions that demonstrate lexicographic adaptability to diverse user needs within specialized domains. The findings challenge traditional lexicographic classification systems by suggesting that functional criteria may be more significant than formal structural features in understanding specialised lexicographic practice. Keywords: encyclopaedia of law, lexicography, Polish lexicography, legal language, LSP, special-purpose dictionary

'n Omvattender aanbod van semantiese data in aanlyn woordeboeke

2025-09-30

Rufus H. Gouws

A More Comprehensive Presentation of Semantic Data in Online Dictionaries. Meaning is the type of data most frequently needed by dictionary users. Due to space restrictions printed dictionaries can only offer a limited reflection of those aspects of meaning relevant to dictionary users. In determining features of meaning to be used in explanations of meaning, lexicographers are often guided by insights from older approaches in linguistics. Consequently, a strict division is often still maintained between linguistic and encyclopaedic data. Following an overview of some aspects of dictionary typology, dictionary structures and semantic data in printed dictionaries, this paper offers suggestions for the use of new types of dictionary structures to ensure a more comprehensive presentation of semantic data in online monolingual dictionaries. In the different subcomments on semantics in dictionary articles, provision is made for a horizontal ordering of different compartments to accommodate different types of data. More space is allocated to semantic data and also to data that fall beyond the scope of traditional dictionary entries. A stronger focus is placed on semantic relations and ways in which this type of semantic guidance could be accommodated in the comment on semantics. New types of integrated microstructures are suggested to make data accessible for target users, and suggestions are also made for the retrieval of information from dictionary-external sources. Semantic data should be presented as good and as comprehensive as possible in monolingual dictionaries. Keywords: comment on semantics, compartments, delayed integrated microstructure, integrated microstructure, levels, multi-phased integrated microstructure, parallel integrated microstructure, paraphrase of meaning, search tunnel, search universe, semantic data, shaft structure, subcomment on semantics

Die gebruik van kleur in aanlyn woordeboeke, met oorweging van drie Afrikaanse woordeboeke

2025-09-30

Maryna Adshade

The Use of Colour in Online Dictionaries, with Consideration of Three Afrikaans Dictionaries. When considering the use of colour in some online Afrikaans dictionaries, it seems that colour is sometimes used ineffectively or haphazardly. In other cases, colours seem to be chosen mainly to align with the dictionary publisher's brand identity, rather than for practical purposes. This may result from abstract or vague metalexicographical suggestions that offer unsatisfactory guidance to practical lexicographers but could also be the result of South African, and Afrikaans, lexicography developing slower compared to the Western world. This article discusses the use of colour is in online dictionaries, considering a few suggestions from metalexicographical research. These suggestions are then supplemented with some guidelines derived from the field of information technology. The application of the theoretical possibilities, or lack thereof, is discussed with regard to the online version of the Handwoordeboek van die Afrikaans Taal , Aanlyn Woordeboek van die Afrikaans Taal and the Woordeboek van Afrikaans Vandag . These dictionaries show room for improvement in some aspects related to colour usage, with many exciting and more advanced possibilities still a future prospect for Afrikaans lexicography. Nevertheless, it is noteworthy that the use of colour is promising and may play a greater role in accessibility in the future. Keywords: colour usage, online dictionaries, data accessibility, dictionary structures, article structure

Gender Bias in Computer-generated Thesauri: The Case of the Serbian Section of Kontekst.io, a Thesaurus of Synonyms and Semantically Related Terms

2025-09-30

Dragana Čarapić, Milica Vuković-Stamatović

This paper studies gender bias in the computer-generated thesaurus Kontext.io , which is a search portal of synonyms and semantically related terms in Serbian, Croatian and Slovenian. Its Serbian section, which is the focus here, is based on a natural language processing (NLP) technique called word embeddings and a large internet corpus of Serbian. Gender bias is uncovered in four selected entries of this thesaurus: žena (woman), muškarac (man), d(j)evojka (young woman) and momak (young man). The analysis is first conducted semantically and the terms found are grouped into various semantic fields. After that, in the vein of the earlier studies of gender bias in traditional dictionaries and critical discourse analysis, an analysis of gender bias in the selected entries is provided. The results show that gender bias is ubiquitous and that it extends deeper than the earlier studies of gender bias in word embeddings have shown. We then give recommendations for improving this lexicographic product based on the results. Keywords: gender bias, computer-generated thesaurus, word embeddings, K ontekst . io , Serbian, lexicography

Noms de Marques dans la 9e Édition du Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française

2025-09-30

Jan Holeš, Zuzana Honová

Brand names in the 9th edition of the Dictionnaire de l'Académie fran çaise . The article contains an analysis of the words labelled as brand names in the 9th edition of the Dictionnaire de l'Académie française . The sample contains 88 items, out of which most are based on proper names, usually family and place names, and common nouns referring to various features and functions of products. These words are formed using a range of morphosyntactic processes, such as composition, scholarly derivation and abbreviation. The sample includes frequent borrowings from various European languages and particularly from English. From the semantic point of view, these words mainly designate (a) devices, equipment, machines, tools, means of transport, food products, and games, and (b) materials, substances, pharmaceutical products, synthetic fibres, and plastics. A brief analysis comparing the presence of words originating from brand names in dictionaries Larousse and Le Robert reveals a certain instability of their lexicographic treatment. Keywords: lexicalization, deonomastics, proper name, brand name, French language, Dictionnaire de l'Académie française , Larousse , Le Robert

Lexicographic Description of a Polysemous Word in a Learner's Dictionary Based on Its Lexical Prototype

2025-09-30

Anton Karasev

This paper presents a practical application of the lexical prototype theory to lexicographic practice, proposing a draft model of a learner's dictionary entry for a polysemous word based on its lexical prototype. The lexical prototype (LP) is regarded as the semantic core of a polysemous word that functions at the level of the language system and is represented in actual speech by contextual meanings: the primary meaning (PM), metonymic, and metaphorical senses. Drafting a dictionary entry based on the LP requires reconstructing the LP through analysing the contextual meanings in relation to the PM in order to establish the minimal set of semantic features that are shared by all the senses of the word. The proposed method of lexicographic description of polysemous words offers a new perspective on polysemy as a linguistic phenomenon as well as moves away from the list-based method. Keywords : lexicography, learner's dictionary, dictionary entry, polysemy, lexical prototype, primary meaning, metonymy, metaphor, cognitive linguistics