Lexicographical Contextualization and Personalization: A New Perspective Leksikografiese kontekstualisering en verpersoonliking: 'n Nuwe perspektief

Abstract

Contextualization, i.e. to provide solutions to users' information needs directly in the situation or context where these needs occur, played a significant role in the work of the Greek scribes who inserted glosses into manuscript copies of the works of Homer and other earlier writers in order to explain obsolete and unusual words. After the invention of the glossary, a schism developed within lexicography. On the one hand, there was the new compilation of glossaries and dictionaries of a still more complex and sophisticated nature. On the other hand, there was the traditional insertion of glosses into manuscript copies of books from previous periods. Although the advent of dictionaries diminished the use of contextualization procedures they were still adhered to in some publications. This paper discusses the occurrence of contextualization and personalization procedures in different eras and environments and it is shown how these procedures also introduced a lexicographic practice to some extra-dictionary environments. The importance of contextualization and personalization in modern-day lexicography is stressed. Lexicographers often have had unfulfilled dreams of new possibilities within the digital environment. However, the lack of adequate technology has made their dreams impossible – at that stage. Today new technologies and collaboration between lexicography and information science offer numerous new challenges that can be met by lexicographers. It is shown how lexicographical products being integrated into information tools little by little are closing the more than two thousand year old schism in European lexicography, i.e. reuniting contextualization and personalization. Lexicographers, the modern-day scribes, have to endeavour to make the seemingly impossible possible.
 
 
Kontekstualisering, dit is om oplossings vir gebruikers se inligtingsbehoef-tes te verskaf presies in die situasie en konteks waar die behoefte ontstaan, het 'n belangrike rol gespeel in die werk van die Griekse skribas wat glosse in die manuskripte van kopieë van Homeros en ander vroeë skrywers gevoeg het om onbekende en ongewone woorde te verduidelik. Na die ont-wikkeling van die glossarium het 'n kloof binne leksikografie ontstaan. Enersyds was daar die same-stelling van glossaria en woordeboeke van 'n nog meer gesofistikeerde aard. Andersyds was daar die tradisionele invoeging van glosse in ouer manuskripte. Alhoewel die koms van woordeboeke die gebruik van kontekstualisering verminder het, is dié werkswyse steeds in sommige publikasies gebruik. Hierdie artikel bespreek die voorkoms van kontekstualisering en verpersoonliking in ver-skillende eras en omgewings en daar word aangetoon hoe hierdie werkswyses 'n leksikografiese aard in sommige buite-woordeboekomgewings ingelui het. Die belang van kontekstualisering en verpersoonliking in die moderne leksikografie word benadruk. Leksikograwe het dikwels onver-vulde drome gehad van nuwe moontlikhede in die digitale omgewing. Die tekort aan toereikende teg-nologie het hulle drome in daardie stadium 'n onmoontlikheid gemaak. Vandag bied nuwe tegnologie en samewerking tussen leksikografie en inligtingswetenskap talle uitdagings wat leksikograwe kan oorkom. Dit word aangetoon hoe leksikografiese produkte in inligtingswerktuie geïntegreer word en geleidelik word die kloof wat reeds meer as tweeduisend jaar in die Europese leksikografie bestaan, oorbrug deur 'n hereniging van kontekstualisering en verpersoonliking. Leksikograwe, die moderne skribas, moet poog om die oënskynlik onmoontlike moontlik te maak.