Examples, examples: What can you learn from a lexicographer?
by Julie Moore
February 20, 2024
In this post, Julie Moore summarises the workshop she gave at the 2023 Harrogate PCE, where she shared her insights into the role of a lexicographer working on learner’s dictionaries. She also showed how some of the skills needed to work on a learner’s dictionary can be transferred into other areas of materials writing. In this post, she doesn’t try to cover everything explored in the workshop; instead, she focuses on a key area that’s especially transferable; the selection of example sentences to illustrate vocabulary.
As a lexicographer, working on an entry for a learner’s dictionary involves using a corpus to research every aspect of a word and its usage, then looking at all the information you collect to decide what’s going to be most useful to the average dictionary user. Below is a summary of some of the aspects of a word that we might research:
The role of example sentences
Once I’ve pinned down all the key information at the top of an entry and then wrestled with dividing multiple meanings into numbered senses with appropriate definitions, by far the bulk of my time on most entries is spent selecting example sentences. Years of selecting and crafting examples based on corpus data has stood me in good stead for work on a variety of ELT projects beyond dictionaries.
ELT materials make extensive use of example sentences for practice activities of all kinds: gapfills, multiple choice, matching exercises, etc. In a typical coursebook, target vocabulary is first introduced in the context of a reading text.
Those target items are then drawn out for extra focus in a range of activities, most of which will require appropriate example sentences:
- • vocabulary practice activities in the unit itself
- • revision sections after a number of units
- • extra vocabulary practice at the back of the book
- • vocabulary practice in a workbook
- • tests to accompany the course
- • extra digital practice materials.
Start wide and narrow down
When I’m researching a word using a corpus, I’ll invariably find far more interesting aspects of a word than I can fit into a handful of examples, but it’s still a useful exercise to go through. Once I’ve got a full picture of the word, I can set about choosing what will likely be most useful to a dictionary user. When I work on vocab activities for other types of ELT materials, I tend to employ the same approach.
Vanilla examples
The first example in most dictionary entries will be what we call a ‘vanilla’ example; that is a plain, simple example that helps the user confirm that they’ve understood the meaning of the definition. It tries to create that lightbulb moment of recognition.
The same principle can be applied to the first example used in a coursebook vocab activity. It should be fairly simple and shouldn’t stray too far from the way the word was used in the input text. At this point, the aim is to help the learner establish the basic meaning and form of the word. You don’t want to confuse them by jumping to a radically different context or throwing in potentially unknown and distracting language.
Don’t forget the basics
When I’m selecting examples, I don’t want all the examples for a verb to be in the present simple, or all the instances of a noun to be countable, if it’s also used uncountably. That doesn’t mean you have to illustrate all possible forms. If a noun is predominantly singular, there’s no need to throw in an atypical plural; however, using a variety of the most common forms in examples is good practice for the learner and provides variety.
Typical objects and contexts
One of the first things I look at is whether a word is used with or about people, objects, places, or abstract concepts. If they’re all common, they should all be illustrated.
[person] integrate yourself into a community
[object] integrate a hob into a kitchen unit
[concept] integrate an idea into the curriculum
I also look at typical contexts – everyday life, business, politics, sport. We have a tendency in ELT to try and make language as ‘relatable’ as possible, but it’s unhelpful to show a word used in a conversation between teens about their friends when in reality, it’s mostly used in the context of, say, international politics. Which brings me onto …
Style, genre and connotation
If a word is typically used in newspaper headlines, academic articles, or business communications, then examples should reflect this style. Ask yourself whether a word or phrase is usually spoken or written. Is it especially formal or informal? Is it judgmental, offensive, persuasive or literary? If students use ‘marked’ language in neutral contexts, they’ll end up at best, sounding slightly odd and at worst, landing themselves in hot water!
Collocation and colligation
We all know how important it is to understand the company that words keep. We know that you say make a mistake rather than *do a mistake (an example of collocation), and we know that you decide to do something rather than decide *doing something (an example of colligation). Illustrating and highlighting the most common of these patterns first helps learners recognise the combinations they’re most likely to come across. But we can build on that knowledge with other combinations and possibilities as we work through subsequent examples and activities.
Avoiding pitfalls
There are numerous pitfalls you can fall into when selecting examples, especially if you’re let loose on a corpusful of inspiration! Not least of these is getting carried away trying to show too much, getting caught up in authentic usage and straying off-target and above level.
Slippery parts of speech
It may seem obvious to say that if you start by focusing on a verb, you should stick to verbs in subsequent examples. It’s very easy to slip up, though, and some parts of speech are quite slippery. Are you using satisfied as the past form of a verb (we satisfied the requirements) or as an adjective (a satisfied customer)? At higher levels, you might get away with a certain degree of slippage – and it might even be useful for learners to see how flexible a vocabulary item can be – but it’s something to watch out for.
Problems with polysemy
You only have to open the pages of a dictionary to see that many words in English have multiple meanings, listed as numbered senses. Sometimes those meanings are quite distinct – for example, a table can be a piece of furniture as well as a diagram with rows and columns. Often, they gradually transform from what we’d recognise as one meaning into something different – a brief for a writing project versus a legal brief. And then there are literal and figurative uses – fight a person (in a boxing match) versus fight an illness or fight a legal case. Again, these are distinctions to be aware of and use consciously where appropriate rather than slipping between them accidentally.
Who knew there could be so much behind something as apparently simple as an example sentence?! Hopefully, I’ve provided some food for thought next time you’re looking for ideas for a ‘simple’ vocab activity.
Julie Moore is a freelance ELT writer, lexicographer, and corpus researcher based in Bristol. She’s been working on learner’s dictionaries for 25 years, involved in projects for all the major dictionary publishers. As well as dictionaries, she works on more general ELT materials and specific vocabulary resources, such as Oxford Academic Vocabulary Practice and ETpedia Vocabulary. She also spends way too much time getting drawn into language questions on social media.