| Abstract: |
Once a new word or a new meaning is added to a monolingual dictionary,
the lexicographer is to provide a definition of this item. This paper focuses on the
methodological challenges in writing such definitions. After a short discussion of
the central terminology (method and definition), the article describes factors which
inform this process: linguistic theories, linguistic and lexicographical methods, and
types of definitions. Using the example of elexiko, a dictionary project of the Institute for the German language (IDS) in Mannheim, Germany, the paper finally showcases the compilation of definitions in a monolingual online dictionary of contemporary German. |