A. Answer the following:

        1. Do you agree with Scalinger that dictionary-making is an ardous task? Or, do you have a             different opinion? Explain.
        2. What are the different phases of dictionary-making and what are the tasks involved?
        3. What are the factors and variables in a plan for a dictionary?
        4. What are the major types of dictionaries discussed under the sub-section on the 'sources' of             data collection?

      B. Write short notes on the following terms by finding out more about them from any dictionary or           dictionaries that you have:

                (i) Diachrony (ii) Lemma (iii) Stylistics (iv) Referential

        If the language in question has a rich literary and lexicographic tradition, then the main sources for the compilation of a monolingual dictionary for such languages can be as follows.

(1) Excerption of texts including literature, journals etc;
(2) Lexicographer's own knowledge of that language,
(3) Staff or experts;
(4) Other dictionaries, and
(5) Informants.

        The basic form of the collection of materials for a monolingual dictionary is the excerption of texts. The lexicographer collects the lexical units, which are of interest and writes them on cards along with their contexts and other indications such as the citation of the source of the excerpts, etc. [This is how the lexicographer has always proceeded until the computer programmes on lexicon-building were discovered; see 413.17 for more details.]

        The lexicographer must choose the texts to be excerpted based on his two basic decisions concerning the scope and the type of dictionary he plans to compile. If it is an overall descriptive dictionary, excerpted texts must be broader, covering different dimensions of the variations of language. If possible, the lexicographer must try to excerpt vocabulary from all such texts. If that is not possible, because of the limitation of time and money, the selection of the texts to be excerpted should be as broad and covering as diverse texts as possible. If the language the compiler deals with, has a strong diglossic nature, he must decide whether he wants to compile a dictionary of the literary standard language or the colloquial language. In the later case, it is necessary to explore the spoken variety, or take the excerpts from oral literature.

        The excerption can also be made from newspapers and periodicals. There is an advantage as well as disadvantage in such excerptions. The advantage is that the newspapers and periodicals consist of very recently coined, contemporary vocabulary. The disadvantage is that the journalistic texts make a rather frequent use of many occasional expressions and ephemeral neologisms.

Though the excerption is usually the main source of the fundamental materials for a monolingual dictionary, it is not sufficient. The lexicographer's own knowledge of the language is also an important source.

Generally the compiler of a monolingual dictionary would be a native speaker of the language. In this case he can make use of his own knowledge in his work. He can (1) complete many a lacuna left in the material (2) eliminate many misunderstandings that occur because of gaps and exceptions, and (3) prevent many other mistakes that may occur because of wrong elicitations or misinterpretations in other contemporary dictionaries.

If the lexicographer has a good knowledge of grammar, he has a greater chance of compiling a really very good monolingual dictionary. At the same time, he should not forget that his speech is only an idiolect of that language and his knowledge will also have certain limitations. Hence it is always better to check his own opinion and his own knowledge against that of the others.

Another living source of information is that of staff or experts. When the compiler is intended to compile a big dictionary, he must seek co-operation from experts of different special branches of human knowledge. The experts can provide vocabulary pertaining to their fields and can also give authentic definitions. But at the same time, there is a problem in this system. As they are experts in their respective fields naturally the definitions given by them may be too encyclopaedic or lengthy which may need editing. Alternatively, the compiler must request them to give definitions in brief.

Dictionaries themselves also serve as important sources for the collection of materials for newer or larger or more specialized dictionaries. The compiler of a monolingual dictionary can extract information from other dictionaries of that language, if there are any. Sometime one dictionary is the basis for the compilation of another, especially when a concise dictionary is to be prepared. The lexicographer has to check his own materials with that of other existing important dictionaries of that language. If any old dictionary which is authentic is available in that language, the lexicographer can consider it as an additional source.