Die taalpraktisyn as indekseerder

Abstract

Language practioners are generally not trained to compile indexes. In South Africa, the Association for Southern African Indexers and Bibliographers (ASAIB) endeavours to serve the needs of indexers and bibliographers. This article looks at various kinds of indexes and focuses on the importance of understanding the anticipated search strategies of index users. The anticipated search strategies will also influence the ordering principles used in the compilation of a specific index. The way in which differences in potential users, the position of the text in the market, the anticipated background knowledge of the users as well as their anticipated level of language proficiency influence the choices the indexer has to made, are illustrated by means of two texts, namely Baba- en Kindersorg by Marina Petropulos and Stormwinde of droogtes – Die storie van Hendrik Schoeman by Freek Swart. The article further argues that students who are trained in linguistics are particularly well equipped to recognise textual coherence and to reflect it in an index that is ultimately user-friendly.


Key Words: language practitioners, indexes, search strategies, ordering principles, semantic relationships


Journal for Language Teaching Vol.38(1) 2004: 117-128