| Abstract |
This paper reviews the definition of several words in current Spanish dictionaries: mono 'monkey', simio 'ape', primate 'primate', orang-utan 'orang-utan', gibbon 'gibbon', chimpancé 'chimpanzee', gorila 'gorilla'. The analysis of the definitions attempts to make it clear that there are some serious inconsistencies in the encyclopaedic information of the dictionaries. It will also be shown that the substitution principle of the definiendum for the definiens is problematic in the sense that its conditions of usage are not well defined. Thus, we find that Spanish dictionaries must incorporate the encyclopaedic information in a specific way. On the other hand, our criticism reflects that the substitution principle should be reformulated. The analyses of the questions being examined here reveals that a theoretical and methodological debate is needed in Spanish lexicography. This paper attempts to demonstrate that some of the objections to the definitions of current Spanish dictionaries are due to lack of criticism in the Peninsula regarding the problems related to the encyclopaedic information of the definitions. It would also be advisable to review the questions related to the substitution principle. |
| BibTex |
@InProceedings{ELX08-038,
author = {Juan Gutiérrez Cuadrado},
title = {Desafíos de la definición},
pages = {525-533},
booktitle = {Proceedings of the 13th EURALEX International Congress},
year = {2008},
month = {jul},
date = {15-19},
address = {Barcelona, Spain},
editor = {Elisenda Bernal, Janet DeCesaris},
publisher = {Institut Universitari de Linguistica Aplicada, Universitat Pompeu Fabra},
isbn = {978-84-96742-67-3},
} |
