Browsing by Author "Szczepaniak, Renata"
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Item Atkins, B. T. Sue and Michael Rundell. 2008. The Oxford guide to practical lexicography. Oxford: Oxford University Press. xii+540 pages. ISBN: 978-0-19-927771-1.(Versita Ltd., de Gruyter, 2008) Szczepaniak, RenataItem Phrasal equivalents with alternative elements in bilingual dictionaries: presentation problems(Wydawnictwo Naukowe Szczecińskiej Szkoły Wyższej „Collegium Balticum", 2012) Szczepaniak, Renata; Krynicki, GrzegorzOne of the difficulties that inexperienced dictionary users face is the cryptic character of dictionary text, which is full of codes, abbreviations and symbols, the significance of which has to be mastered before the microstructure can be accessed. Such devices generally serve the purpose of space conservation in paper dictionaries, and can be termed collectively, after Wiegand (1996), “methods of textual condensation”. As Prinsloo and De Schryver (2002: 72) observe, “[i]ncreased text density, which should obviously stand in relation to the decoding skills of the target user, can – especially in paper dictionaries – be a virtue as long as that user can unambiguously retrieve the information.” Unambiguous retrieval of information is possible provided that principles of textual condensation are explained in the metatext of the dictionary or they are sufficiently intuitive. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and, as a side-effect of the pursuit of economy of space, the convenience of dictionary users can be compromised. This study focuses on the use of space-saving devices indicating alternative elements of phrasal equivalents in two major bilingual dictionaries for Polish learners of English: PWN-Oxford Dictionary and Kosciuszko Foundation Dictionary. Firstly, it looks at the function of the aforementioned devices as defined in the dictionaries. Secondly, it attempts to highlight inconsistencies in their use and potential problems with their interpretation. From each side of both dictionaries, a random sample of 500 pairs of phrasal equivalents containing at least one alternation was extracted. Next, each phrase was manually annotated with respect to the difficulty of decoding as well as gravity of potential interpretation errors. The qualitative analysis of the results of annotation led to the identification and classification of potential problems with the interpretation of space-saving devices.Item Telling it straight: A comparison of selected English and Polish idioms from the semantic field of speaking(Adam Mickiewicz University, 2010) Szczepaniak, Renata; Adamska-Sałaciak, ArletaThis paper attempts to illustrate one way of achieving greater precision in presenting idiomatic equivalents by implementing the functionally-oriented methodological instrument devised by Dobrovol’skij and Piirainen (2005). A small-scale analysis along the three parameters of semantics, syntax and pragmatics is carried out with a view to identifying and explaining all cross-linguistic contrasts and similarities between selected English and Polish near-equivalent idioms from the semantic field of speaking. The empirical data of this study includes corpus evidence, apart from the available monolingual, bilingual and phraseological dictionaries. The resultant descriptions of the idiomatic expressions attest the validity of a functional approach to contrastive idiom analysis, which, unlike judgments based on the superficial properties of idioms (i.e. their lexical components, structure), reveals that differences in images will not always prevent idioms with similar actual meaning from being regarded as equivalents. On the other hand, closeness of underlying imagery does not guarantee identity with respect to all parameters of comparison (especially pragmatics).Item The role of imagery in dictionaries of idioms(Oxford University Press, 2011-02-03) Szczepaniak, Renata; Lew, RobertThis article adopts a cognitive linguistic approach to idioms as motivated lexical units. The focus is on lexicographic applications of the notion of motivation; specifically, on the usefulness of imagery in the form of pictorial illustrations and etymological notes in idioms dictionaries. We discuss the main features of idiom semantics, review the results of research into the influence of motivating information on idiom acquisition, and outline the issue of imagery in idiom entries, highlighting the problems involved. Finally, we report on a study with Polish university students of English. Our findings point to a facilitative role of pictorial illustrations on short- and long-term retention of both form and meaning of idioms. In contrast, etymological notes do not have any positive effect.Item What users do with dictonaries in situations of comprehension deficit: An empirical study(Adam Mickiewicz University, 2003) Szczepaniak, Renata