| Abstract: |
According to several lexicographers, dictionary users who look up the meaning of a word in an illustrated dictionary mainly (or exclusively) perceive the visual definition, less so the verbal one. This behavior is explained by th iconicity of the picture, its connection to emotions and the speed of image perception. However, the hypothesis that it is images which are primarily perceived by users must be critically evaluated, because, if that is the case, then part of the content (mediated by definition and illustration) is missed by the user, and also because images can be ambiguous. There has until now been no empirical examination of this presumed user behavior. A survey and an eye-tracking study on illustrated online dictionaries were conducted to test the hypothesis that it is mainly illustrations that are perceived by users. The hypothesis was not confirmed by either study. In this paper, the conception and the results of the survey and the eye-tracking study will be described and discussed. |