Lexicography – a tool for managing lexicographic works

Abstract

The Linguistic Technologies Group has created a program “Lexicographer” which ensures the implementation of lexicographic activities by means of digital technologies. The program enables the creation of dictionaries and their publication in printed and electronic formats. Based on this program, we have created an explanatory dictionary of the Georgian language, “The Georgian Dictionary“, which is published in two formats:
      printed: “The Georgian Dictionary“, Tbilisi: Bakur Sulakauri Publishing House 2014
      electronic: https://www.ganmarteba.ge/ 2019.
The program consists of two parts: a database editor and a format editor. In addition, it has a special function for the administration of activities.

The database relies on a conceptual model embracing the following components of a dictionary unit: definition, illustrative example, part of speech, field of usage, field of science etc. Certain components are united in sections. A section is a unity of components which ensures a certain fixed order of information (content) referring to the dictionary unit. There are three different sections: the beginning section; the main section; phrases and links.
The beginning section embraces the following components: part of speech, grammatical forms (for nouns: singular number, genitive case; for verbs: forms of different voice and version in the third person, singular number), the field of usage and so on. The main section includes the following components: definition, illustrative example, the field of functioning, the scientific field of usage and so on. The section of phrases embraces the following components: definition, the field of usage etc; the section of links points out the lexical unit to which this or that information should be attached. The links enable a transfer from the lexical unit to the words derived from the same stem, synonyms, antonyms and so on.

In the database, the components of the dictionary units are given in separate fields. This structuring of the material enables automatic search and management of information. All this facilitates the process of working with the dictionary. Besides, the database is extremely useful for scientific research, for instance, reagarding statistical analyses.
The format editor of the program “Lexicographer” ensures the creation of the format of the dictionary. It enables the following operations: ordering of sections or components; selection of different styles (font size, colour…) for the information provided in different fields, the usage of symbols and so on.

The program “Lexicographer” also facilitates the administration of activities. It is uploaded to the internet. Hence, lexicographers have the opportunity to work with the dictionary from any place. Using a special function, they can implement efficient management of the work process.
The program “Lexicographer” is intended to be used for the creation of a universal tool that will embrace structural peculiarities of dictionaries of various types and functions. This universal tool will enable the compilation of explanatory, translation, orthographic and other types of dictionaries to be published in both printed and electronic forms.