Re: Dictionary formats

>From: Aidan Grey <grey@...>
>
>   Those of you with detailed dictionaries (are there any of you?), how do
>you list everything in your notes? Everyone here can't be making one-to-one
>wordlists. So how do you make comments indicating various usages,
>compounds, and so on?
I don't list everything or even very much. In many cases I just rely on my
memory, and, well, we'll see how that works when there are thousands of
words... Still, that makes it no easier to define a word's meaning in other
words. And, my dictionary is mostly meant to help my own memory, not for
anyone else.

Here are some examples of my short commenting {and what does it mean}. To
other direction, another languages-to-Mamqosian, the dictionary is much
simpler, almost one-to-one to save space.
Acute accent is not part of the word but a ditionary note itself. It means
that the marked vowel will lengthen under certain conditions.

ajaidra - 1.) to tame
2.) (refl.) to become friends (with somebody)
{= when the verb is transitive, it means one thing, and as both reflexive
and transitive it means another.}

ayjia (+ c-adp) - to go/come with, to follow
{= object of this verb must be in case that usually would mean there's an
adposition of way referring to it. Abbreviated as c-adpositive, because the
case ending is -c.}

durwa - to see/look
{more detailed explanation of this and other similar verbs is given
elsewhere}

mölí - snow when it is falling (magrem)
{= word is used in most dialects spoken by magrems, the mountain people, but
seldom by dais, the lowland people.}

qava - to want (+ noun)

sarkjó - white animal, especially donkey; light-haired person; foreigner
(negative connotation)

själuwn - rain (collective, acts like a plural)


>   Do you do anything to make sure that you're not relexifying, e.g. use
>WordNet, or another language's dictionary?
Ha - getting inspiration: using several languages in dictionary would help -
not so much explaining. Of course, that will make it even less
comprehensible for other readers... >:)

---
- M. Å.

_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp.