Abstract

The 8th edition of Oxford Advanced Learner’s English-Chinese Dictionary (OALECD for short) is found to contain the motivations or the motivational information (MI for short) of some words and expressions. These MIs can be roughly grouped into two types: the overt MI and the covert MI. The former has the marker “origin” and the number of them, on the basis of the 6th and 7th editions of OALECD, is 231 ones in the 8th edition, also the latest edition. The latter is ordinarily underlying in the dictionary and some of them need to be worked out. Based on the cognition of some key notions such as the definition, internal structure, the syntagmatic and paradigmatic relations of words or lexicon, the covert type are classified into four groups in this paper: the self-evident type, the definition-based type, the morphological and syntagmatic type, and the paradigmatic type. 

After a detailed description of the MIs in the 8th edition of OALECD, the author summarized some prominent features of the manifestation of them from three perspectives: meaning, grammar and external condition. Then their application was discussed, including the MI and English vocabulary learning, and the MI and word translation. Finally, the interrelation between MIs and lexicography was dwelt on. It is concluded that the paradigm initiated by the OALECD particularly its 8th edition－“learner’s dictionary plus motivation”, has shown that the giving of motivational information not only indicates the trend of English dictionary development but also precurses the appearance of cognitive dictionaries. It can consolidate the data basis of the lexical motivation study and hence encourages its disciplinary formation, as well as facilitate the interplay and integration among lexicology, translation studies, etc.

 Key words: the 8th edition of OALECD; MIs; origin; structure; internal form; lexicography 

Contents

Abstract

摘要

1 Introduction1

2 Motivation: Definitions, Classifications and Others..2

 2.1 Definitions.2

  2.2 Classifications4

  2.3 Some Related Terms of Motivation 5

3 A Survey of MIs in the 8th Edition of OALECD .7

  3.1 The Types of MIs in 8th Edition of OALECD.7

3.1.1 The MIs with the Marker “Origin”7

3.1.2 The MIs without the Marker..10

 3.1.2.1 The Self-evident Type10

 3.1.2.2 The Definition-based Type.11

 3.1.2.3 The Morphological-syntagmatic Type..12

 3.1.2.4 The Paradigmatic Type..14

  3.2 Some Prominent Features of the Manifestation of MIs14

4 The Application of MIs in the 8th Edition of OALECD15

  4.1 The MI and English Vocabulary Learning..15

  4.2 The MI and Word Translation..17

5 MIs and Lexicography: An Extended Discussion 18

6 Conclusion20

References22