Fall Issue — October 2007
By the Book
When you pull out a dictionary, do you make a point of reading the introductory pages? Not many of us do, yet these first few pages contain invaluable information about a dictionary’s contents. Aline Francœur, an associate professor in the School of Translation and Interpretation, is about to make history by launching the first systematic study of such oft un-explored pages—the forewords of French dictionaries.The project has been a long time in the making. Francœur first became interested in the history of language and dictionaries during her graduate studies. At the time, the Bilingual Canadian Dictionary project was being set in motion, a project for which Francœur landed a position as a research assistant. “That project lit my passion for lexicography”, says Francœur. “When I began my doctoral studies a few years later, I realized that nobody had yet examined the contents of the forewords of dictionaries—and that’s why I decided to take on this fascinating work.”
The themes in forewords vary from one dictionary to another but there are common threads. For example, almost every foreword will explain the reasoning behind the dictionary’s existence, often favourably comparing its content to other dictionaries’. Forewords are the dictionary’s procedure manual. Francœur’s research will shed light on the content, and examine how it has evolved over time. Who knows, she might even convince users that it would be in their best interest to take to time to read the foreword!
Dictionaries have an authoritative sway over the use and quality of a language. Their study allows us to follow the evolution of languages and general lexicographical traditions. In addition to her work on forewords, Francœur also closely examines the bilingual dictionaries produced by 17th century lexicographer, Guy Miège.
“The traditional form of French-English bilingual dictionaries has remained virtually the same over the centuries,” says Francœur. “The usage has changed of course, but the contents of the dictionaries are still similar. Just like modern dictionaries, French-English dictionaries of the 1600s contain semantic indications, examples, idiomatic expressions, etc. It’s proof that the pioneers of bilingual lexicography were heading in the right direction!”
Francœur also aims to train the next generation of researchers. “It’s very inspiring to work with graduate students and see their passion for research blossom. It’s also important to have them participate in all stages of the academic process, from the research itself to the presentation of results.” She cites her collaboration with Bronwyn Burlingham, once a student in the translation master’s program, as a key example. Together they studied the forewords of English dictionaries published in the 17th century, presented their results at a scientific symposium, and co-authored an article published in 2006 in the leading British journal, The Seventeenth Century.
What does the future hold for research in lexicography? “I believe that there remains quite a bit of work for us in the study of dictionaries over the next 30 years. Many avenues remain to be explored,” Francœur estimates. “In particular, research on electronic dictionaries should become extensive. Who knows, this might become my next area of focus in the years to come.”
Aline Francœur is passionate about words and dictionaries—and she shares her enthusiasm with students.