Lexicography at a Crossroads

Book excerpt: This book contains a collection of original research articles on lexicography written by prominent international scholars within the field. It aims at describing the state-of-the-art in lexicography at the beginning of the 21st century and at making proposals for future theoretical and practical work in the field. Theoretical lexicography currently has two competing theories: a contemplative theory focusing on the description of existing dictionaries on the basis of linguistic principles, and a function-based, transformative theory focusing on the dictionary and the user in order to develop new principles for dictionary research and dictionary making. Research in lexicography has now reached a crossroads and it is time to take stock of the present situation and try to identify the theories and principles that will set the agenda and point the direction for future lexicographic research and the production of printed and electronic dictionaries.