On The Exemplification Of Noun Entries In E-C Active Learner’s Dictionaries

Illustrative examples play a crucial role in learner’s dictionaries, bilingual ones in particular. However, not much importance has been attached to the exemplification of noun entries. As to the provision of illustrative examples, the general consensus among lexicographers is that entries of verbs as well as adjectives are given the top priority. The noun entries in this respect are treated carelessly if not ignorantly. In English-Chinese learner lexicography, the scenario is no exception. This paper is an attempt to explore the theoretical motivation for providing the noun entry with illustrative examples in E-C learner’s dictionaries. In the meantime, the author of the present paper tries to offer effective solutions to current problems of the illustrative examples of nouns in E-C learner’s dictionaries.Based on the theory of L2mental lexicon, the author of the present paper discusses in detail the necessity and significance of illustrating nouns with real examples in E-C learner’s dictionaries.Studies on L2mental lexicon theory facilitate the investigation into the encoding information required by the learners. The results reveal that the provision of more syntagmatic knowledge helps promote the development of semantic networks in the L2lexicon and contributes to the improvement of learners’encoding ability. The theoretical considerations prove the possibility of bettering the exemplification of noun entries in ECLDs by adding more syntagmatic information of nouns.Moreover, the analysis of learner’s dictionary texts and the questionnaire survey about the reference needs of Chinese EFL learners are carried out to obtain empirical data for the research. The empirical study examines the problems or deficiencies of noun entries in current ECLDs, and further confirms the rationality of providing more syntagmatic information in the illustrative examples of noun entries in ECLDs.Operational principles are finally proposed to improve the exemplification of noun entries in ECLDs from the aspects of content and presentation. As to the content, the usage of verbs, adjectives and prepositions that frequently co-occur with the headword of a noun entry should be presented. Besides, the common errors concerning the usage of the three types of words that frequently co-occur with the headword of a noun entry should also be listed. In the presentation, the usage with high frequency should be marked by skeleton examples in bold italic type and the usage with relatively lower frequency, as well as the common learners’ errors should be listed in special columns.The present research may benefit the treatment of noun entries in English-Chinese dictionaries in the future. Although this paper has limitations in the small number of selected nouns and subjects, and the lack of a post-test, it is still of guidance on innovative practice and theoretical value in the field of bilingual learner lexicography.