Introduction to Dictionary Users
The goal of this course is to introduce students to the important role played by dictionary usage research when developing and implementing new dictionaries. The course will address the question of how different types of target users (in terms of age, language proficiency and pre-existing skills) or different types of use (encoding, decoding, translation etc.) influence the scope of the dictionary, the lemma selection process or the very structure of a dictionary entry. At the end of this course, students will have a fundamental understanding of the ways in which user research (both commercially and academically) can contribute to the tailoring of lexicographic content. Going beyond the realm of user-centered lexicography, the course will also explore possible user contributions in the creation of content and the increasing importance of crowdsourcing in lexicography.