Normatiewe leiding in woordeboeke: 'n nuwe benadering

Abstract

English Title: Normative information in dictionaries: an innovative approach 

English Abstract

In a multilingual society linguistic contact leads to language influencing which effects different registers of the language. The standard variety of Afrikaans is largely subjected to language influence resulting from its continuous contact with English. In their treatment of the lexicon dictionaries should reflect the linguistic reality. The results of linguistic contact should also be included in a dictionary. Afrikaans monolingual and bilingual desk dictionaries as well as restricted normative dictionaries have traditionally adopted a strictly prescriptive approach, endeavouring to render the standard language as a puristic variety. This resulted in a restriction of the macrostructural scope of these dictionaries.

In this paper the traditional approach is discussed in order to contrast it with an innovative approach to the lexicographical treatment of language change. The normative Afrikaans dictionary Die korrekte woord is used to illustrate the new approach. This dictionary treats the Afrikaans lexicon in a new way by including a substantial number of English loan words. While adhering to its normative assignment Die korrekte woord gives an account of the dynamics of language change. This is done by responding to a new interpretation of the notion "Standard Afrikaans". The application of this approach leads to the inclusion of a lemma selection that represents the real standard variety of Afrikaans. The principles applied and the implications for normative lexicography in general are discussed.

Keywords: anglicism, bilingual dictionary, desk dictionary, dictionary, functional borrowing, language influence, language standardization, lexical borrowing, lexicography, lexicon, linguistic contact, loan translation, normative dictionary, prescriptivity, purism