A critical evaluation of three Sesotho dictionaries

Abstract

This article gives a perspective on Sesotho lexicography and a critical analysis of themacrostructures and microstructures of three selected Sesotho dictionaries. The monolingual paper dictionary Sethantšo sa Sesotho, the bilingual paper dictionary Southern Sotho–English Dictionary and the Sesotho online Bukantswe v.3 are evaluated. Their virtues and shortcomings as reference works will be viewed against dictionaries of high lexicographic achievement in order to establish to what extent they fulfil the most basic requirements of macrostructures and microstructures. The incon-sistencies addressed in this article reflect the need for Sesotho lexicographers to use corpora in dictionary compilation in order to enhance the quality of entries on both microstructural and macro-structural levels. It will be argued that much more research and description of lexicographic issues is required to bring Sesotho lexicography on a par with its sister languages, Sepedi and Setswana and with good dictionaries for major languages of the world. After decades in existence, currently available Sesotho dictionaries are in dire need for revision and new dictionaries aimed at specific target users should be compiled.

Hierdieartikel gee 'n perspektief op Sesotho-leksikografie en 'n kritiese ontleding van die makrostrukture en mikrostrukture van drie geselekteerde Sesotho woordeboeke. Die eentalige papierwoordeboek Sethantšo sa Sesotho, die tweetalige papierwoordeboek Southern Sotho–English Dictionary en die Sesotho online Bukantswe v.3 word geëvalueer. Hulle deugde en tekortkominge as naslaanwerke sal beskou word teenoor woordeboeke van hoë leksikografiese gehalte om vas te stel in watter mate hulle aan die mees basiese vereistes van makrostrukture en mikrostrukture voldoen. Die teenstrydighede wat in hierdie artikel aangespreek word, weerspieël die noodsaaklikheid dat Sesotho leksikograwe korpora in woordeboeksamestelling gebruik om die gehalte van inskrywings op mikrostrukturele sowel as makrostrukturele vlak te verhoog. Daar sal geargumenteer word dat baie meer navorsing en beskrywing van leksikografiese kwessies nodig is om die leksikografie van Sesotho op gelyke voet te bring met die sustertale Sepedi en Setswana asook met goeie woordeboeke van wêreldtale. Na dekades van gebruik, moet die Sesotho woordeboeke wat tans beskikbaar is dringend hersien word en nuwe woordeboeke saamgestel word wat op spesifieke teikengebruikers gerig is.