9.4 Dictionaries of Language Difficulties
-
Luca Lorenzetti
Abstract
As a textual and editorial genre, dictionaries of language difficulties appeared in Italy considerably later than in France or in other European countries. The delay was mainly due to the heavy gap in Italian levels of literacy during the first decades after the political unification of 1861, a gap which made the number of users of the common language in 19th century much less significant than elsewhere. Moreover, the solution of language difficulties has been entrusted not only to dictionaries stricto sensu but also to a vast production of books or booklets written at a more or less popular level either by linguists or, much more frequently, by journalists, opinionists and similar sort of professional writers. This article gives a brief historical sketch of both kinds of language instruments and their development, from their rise to their web-based evolutions in recent years and outlines their shared characteristics as well as the differences between academic and amatorial works.
Abstract
As a textual and editorial genre, dictionaries of language difficulties appeared in Italy considerably later than in France or in other European countries. The delay was mainly due to the heavy gap in Italian levels of literacy during the first decades after the political unification of 1861, a gap which made the number of users of the common language in 19th century much less significant than elsewhere. Moreover, the solution of language difficulties has been entrusted not only to dictionaries stricto sensu but also to a vast production of books or booklets written at a more or less popular level either by linguists or, much more frequently, by journalists, opinionists and similar sort of professional writers. This article gives a brief historical sketch of both kinds of language instruments and their development, from their rise to their web-based evolutions in recent years and outlines their shared characteristics as well as the differences between academic and amatorial works.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter i
- Manuals of Romance Linguistics v
- Preface vii
- Table of Contents ix
- Abbreviations xiii
-
Introduction
- 0. Romance Standardology: Roots and Traditions 3
-
Theories of Linguistic Norm
- 1. Linguistic Norm in Classical Grammar and Rhetoric 63
- 2. Linguistic Norm in the Prague School of Linguistics 107
- 3. Linguistic Norm in the Linguistic Theory of Eugenio Coseriu 127
- 4. Linguistic Norm in Sociolinguistics 145
- 5. Linguistic Norm in Linguistic Pragmatics 165
- 6. Linguistic Norm in Cognitive Linguistics 183
- 7. Linguistic Norm in Discourse Linguistics 209
-
Instruments and Reference Tools for Language Codification and Modernization
-
8. Romanian
- 8.1 Orthography and Orthoepy 231
- 8.2 Normative Grammars 245
- 8.3 Normative Dictionaries 261
- 8.4 Dictionaries of Language Difficulties 281
-
9. Italian
- 9.1 Orthography and Orthoepy 297
- 9.2 Normative Grammars 317
- 9.3 Normative Dictionaries 341
- 9.4 Dictionaries of Language Difficulties 373
-
10. French
- 10.1 Orthography and Orthoepy 399
- 10.2 Normative Grammars 417
- 10.3 Normative Dictionaries 441
- 10.4 Dictionaries of Language Difficulties 461
-
11. Catalan
- 11.1 Orthography and Orthoepy 481
- 11.2 Normative Grammars 497
- 11.3 Normative Dictionaries 519
- 11.4 Dictionaries of Language Difficulties 535
-
12. Spanish
- 12.1 Orthography and Orthoepy 559
- 12.2 Normative Grammars 581
- 12.3 Normative Dictionaries 605
- 12.4 Dictionaries of Language Difficulties 629
-
13. Portuguese
- 13.1 Orthography and Orthoepy 651
- 13.2 Normative Grammars 679
- 13.3 Normative Dictionaries 701
- 13.4 Dictionaries of Language Difficulties 725
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14. “Minor” Romance Languages
- 14.1 “Minor” Italo-Romance Languages 747
- 14.2 “Minor” Gallo-Romance Languages 773
- 14.3 “Minor” Ibero-Romance Languages 809
- 14.4 Romance-based Creoles 831
- Index of subjects 851
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter i
- Manuals of Romance Linguistics v
- Preface vii
- Table of Contents ix
- Abbreviations xiii
-
Introduction
- 0. Romance Standardology: Roots and Traditions 3
-
Theories of Linguistic Norm
- 1. Linguistic Norm in Classical Grammar and Rhetoric 63
- 2. Linguistic Norm in the Prague School of Linguistics 107
- 3. Linguistic Norm in the Linguistic Theory of Eugenio Coseriu 127
- 4. Linguistic Norm in Sociolinguistics 145
- 5. Linguistic Norm in Linguistic Pragmatics 165
- 6. Linguistic Norm in Cognitive Linguistics 183
- 7. Linguistic Norm in Discourse Linguistics 209
-
Instruments and Reference Tools for Language Codification and Modernization
-
8. Romanian
- 8.1 Orthography and Orthoepy 231
- 8.2 Normative Grammars 245
- 8.3 Normative Dictionaries 261
- 8.4 Dictionaries of Language Difficulties 281
-
9. Italian
- 9.1 Orthography and Orthoepy 297
- 9.2 Normative Grammars 317
- 9.3 Normative Dictionaries 341
- 9.4 Dictionaries of Language Difficulties 373
-
10. French
- 10.1 Orthography and Orthoepy 399
- 10.2 Normative Grammars 417
- 10.3 Normative Dictionaries 441
- 10.4 Dictionaries of Language Difficulties 461
-
11. Catalan
- 11.1 Orthography and Orthoepy 481
- 11.2 Normative Grammars 497
- 11.3 Normative Dictionaries 519
- 11.4 Dictionaries of Language Difficulties 535
-
12. Spanish
- 12.1 Orthography and Orthoepy 559
- 12.2 Normative Grammars 581
- 12.3 Normative Dictionaries 605
- 12.4 Dictionaries of Language Difficulties 629
-
13. Portuguese
- 13.1 Orthography and Orthoepy 651
- 13.2 Normative Grammars 679
- 13.3 Normative Dictionaries 701
- 13.4 Dictionaries of Language Difficulties 725
-
14. “Minor” Romance Languages
- 14.1 “Minor” Italo-Romance Languages 747
- 14.2 “Minor” Gallo-Romance Languages 773
- 14.3 “Minor” Ibero-Romance Languages 809
- 14.4 Romance-based Creoles 831
- Index of subjects 851
