Newsletter | Dictionary Society of North America

DSNA22 MANAGEMENT MEETING REPORTS FALL 2019

August 17, 2019August 26, 2019 by David Jost Comment Closed

At the Conference three Society management meetings were held. Kory Stamper has provided reports of these meetings to the Society. DSNA22 Exec Board Meeting: Luanne von Schneidemesser, Lise Winer, Steve Kleinedler, Sarah Ogilvie, Kory Stamper Missing: Elizabeth Knowles, Ed Finegan, Anne Curzan, Stefan Dollinger, Peter Gilliver, David Jost The DSNA Executive Board met at DSNA22 and heard a presentation given by Gilles-Maurice de Schryver, President of EURALEX, on the aims and goals of EURALEX. The Board agreed that, while the models for North American lexicography were certainly different from many models present in Europe, that the goals and vision of EURALEX to forefront lexicography in public discourse and in new commercial enterprises, and to secure funding for lexicographical projects nonetheless resonated with members of the Board. The Board thanks Dr. de Schryver for his presentation. (For more information on EURALEX, visit euralex.org.) The Executive Secretary then gave a Finance and Membership Report to the Board, which was also given at the general business meeting,...

DSNA22 PROGRAM FALL 2019

August 16, 2019August 25, 2019 by David Jost Comment Closed

Dictionary Society of North America 22/Studies in the History of the English Language 11 Wednesday, May 8 8:00–3:30 Excursion to the Cordell Collection, Indiana State University 9:00–4:00 Globalex Workshop on Lexicography and Neologism (GWLN 2019), organized and led by Ilan Kernerman (K Dictionaries) and Annette Klosa-Kückelhaus (Leibniz Institute for German Language/University of Mannheim) in the Sassafras Room 9:00–3:30 Seminar on Descriptive and Prescriptive Approaches in Lexicography, organized and led by Edward Finegan (University of Southern California) in the Walnut Room (Participation is by invitation; papers have been pre-circulated) Session 1A: Defining Problems Room: Walnut Chair: David Vancil (Indiana State University) 4:00 Krista Williams (College of Charleston) and Kory Stamper (Independent lexicographer), “Groups of colors in American and European dictionaries” 4:30 Paper moved because of cancellation. 5:00 Orin Hargraves (Independent lexicographer), “Century Dictionary definitions of Charles Sanders Peirce” 5:30 Robert Krovetz (Lexical Research), “A cross-dictionary comparison of word sense individuation and lexical semantic relationships” Session 1B: The Editor’s Perspective Room: Persimmon Chair: Janet DeCesaris (Pompeu Fabra University, Barcelona) 4:00 Brianne Hughes (Bishop Fox), “Self-made lexicographer: How I compiled a cybersecurity style guide” 4:30 Paul Schaffner (University of Michigan, Ann Arbor), “The ‘new’ Middle...

INTRODUCTION FALL 2019

August 15, 2019August 24, 2019 by David Jost Comment Closed

This issue of the Newsletter is almost completely a compilation of materials coming out of DSNA22—our conference held at the University of Indiana in Bloomington. These materials include a complete program, reports from the various DSNA meetings, award presentations, information on the Barnhart and Cordell collections, entertainment, Steve Kleinedler’s presidential speech, and many photographs. You will also find some member news as usual and an obituary for Michael Montgomery written by Connie Eble. For those of you who could attend the Conference, this issue will remind you of the event, and for those who could not attend, it will offer a vicarious experience of the Conference. ...

PUBLICATION INFORMATION SPRING 2019

February 16, 2019February 26, 2019 by David Jost Comment Closed

The DSNA Newsletter is usually published twice a year, in the spring and fall. The editor is David Jost. Associate Editor is Peter Chipman. Member news items can be sent to dsna.membernews@gmail.com. Other Newsletter correspondence, such as articles for publication, should be directed to the editor at dajebj@gmail.com. Send correspondence re membership, etc. to Kory Stamper, Executive Secretary, DSNA PO Box 537 Collingswood, NJ 08108-0537 This issue: Vol. 43 No. 1 (2019) Cumulative issue #87 ...

STATE OF LEXICOGRAPHY SPRING 2019: WIN CARUS

February 13, 2019February 26, 2019 by David Jost Comment Closed

A lexicographic avant-garde Win Carus The Russian Formalist Viktor Shklovskii argues in his Theory of Prose (1929) that at any given time a literary system contains three competing and coexisting generations: the old-timers, the central trend, and the avant-garde. This note will briefly present two representatives of the lexicographic avant-garde -- specifically, lexicographic knowledge bases -- that might provide some new directions for lexicography in general. [V. Shklovsky, Theory of Prose, Dalkey Archive Press (1991).] The two knowledge bases discussed here are the English WordNet (https://wordnet.princeton.edu/) and the NIH Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) (https://www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/). It is helpful to position these knowledge bases in the spectrum of structured lexical resources. In particular, consider the various types of knowledge bases discussed by Pieterse and Kourie (2014) as "knowledge organization systems" (KOSs): "In our classification of KOSs we consider the inherent structure of classifications. Classes of KOSs are characterized by the progressive addition of features that enhance the capabilities offered by these KOSs. The...

HISTORY OF DICTIONARIES SPRING 2019

February 11, 2019February 26, 2019 by David Jost Comment Closed

Thoughts about some dictionary makers and the profession Cynthia Barnhart Sometimes it was difficult to square the story-telling with the usually dignified, serious occupation of editing dictionaries. Generally speaking, my impression from conversation with other dictionary editors and from experience in the offices of Barnhart Books, the process of producing a dictionary was a serious matter: expensive, risky, deadline-driven, producing expected unexpected glitches and, once published, its reception—followed by loud silence. Such concerns notwithstanding, however, dictionary makers whom I have either known well (or simply met once or twice) have always impressed me with their enjoyment of curious collections of dictionary gossip and tales. While thinking along these lines, a couple of chance remarks popped up in my memory inbox where they had been filed and forgotten for quite a while. The first was a comment that roughly summed me up when I was working in another office, that I wasn’t “at all like what we expected.” I don’t know what it really meant but am pretty sure it had more to do with my...

COLLECTION NEWS SPRING 2019

February 10, 2019February 26, 2019 by David Jost Comment Closed

Two Online Collections, Green’s Dictionary of Slang and the LEME David Vancil I learned as others who follow DSNA’s Facebook page that two important online resources, which previously required a paid subscription to use fully, are now free. Since they are dependent on the contents of lexicons and related material, I thought I would mention them again and add a few descriptive remarks members of the society may find useful. Jonathon Green (Photo credit: Gabriel Green) As of October 18, 2018, Jonathon Green’s Dictionary of Slang has been made available free for research into slang terminology. Not only is it a scholarly resource, but casual word mavens will enjoy simply browsing through it as recreation. I certainly found it great fun. It should be noted the web-based resource is based on and an expansion of his widely hailed massive multivolume work published in 2010. I recall it listed at around $500, which would have put it out of reach of most individuals...

EDUCATION NEWS SPRING 2019

February 10, 2019February 26, 2019 by David Jost Comment Closed

“Advanced Linguistics: Introduction to Lexicography” at Buffalo State College By Lisa Berglund, Professor of English The English Department at Buffalo State College has about 30 students in our Master’s program: half are earning degrees in secondary education, a handful plan to apply to PhD programs in literature or culture studies, and the rest are exploring, diverting their minds from the present, or reluctant to leave the security of school. Most students who enroll in “Introduction to Lexicography” do so because it fits their schedules. They have no preconceptions about the course (although they have a lot of preconceptions about dictionaries). There’s usually an OED fan, and someone who thinks dictionaries are cool or who “loves words.” Their course surveys always include variations on “I had no idea how we were going to spend 14 weeks talking about dictionaries” and “This course should be taught more often.” In the last DNSA Newsletter, Walt Hakala talked about his exciting freshman seminar at the University at Buffalo, noting that because the class was required, he had the...

DICTIONARY NEWS SPRING 2019

February 9, 2019May 21, 2019 by David Jost Comment Closed

Progress report for Mixed Blessings: The Dictionary of Blended Religion Tim Stewart Key words: computers in lexicography short-term historical lexicography portmanteau words religion specialized dictionaries My dictionary project turns eight years old this year, and I’m pleased to share a progress report with the Society. My last mention of the project in the newsletter was three years ago when, in a fit of irrational exuberance, I supplied David Jost with the following news item: “Tim Stewart announces the imminent completion of his Dictionary of Blended Denominations, which is due to come out this year” [1]. Well, it’s spring 2019, and the book’s still not finished. The least I can do is pull back the curtain and share a little about what’s been done so far. The dictionary, now titled Mixed Blessings (or MB for short), is a comprehensive collection of 1,500 words I call “blended-religion words” that were formed by combining the names of two or more religions or religious denominations. The vast majority of these blended-religion words are portmanteau words such as bapticostal, bujew, chrislam, conservadox, episcopagan, fundagelical, jubu, lutepisc, mennocostal, methobapticostal,...

PUBLICATION INFORMATION FALL 2018

February 9, 2019February 19, 2019 by David Jost Comment Closed

The DSNA Newsletter is usually published twice a year, in the spring and fall. The editor is David Jost. Associate Editor is Peter Chipman. Member news items can be sent to dsna.membernews@gmail.com. Other Newsletter correspondence, such as articles for publication, should be directed to the editor at dajebj@gmail.com. Send correspondence re membership, etc. to Kory Stamper, Executive Secretary, DSNAPO Box 537Collingswood, NJ 08108-0537 This issue: Vol. 43 No. 2 (2018) Cumulative issue #86 ...