Lexicographie et Confection des Dictionnaires au Gabon

360 Pages·2010·7.33 MB·French

by  Paul Achille Mavoungou

L Lexicographie
This well-written and logically-argued book covers a field on which very little has been written before. e
x
It shows where Yilumbu fits into the Gabonese lexicographic landscape as one of ten main indigenous i
c
language groups. o
g et Confection
Different lexicographic aspects are explored: the user perspective, the mini-grammar, the macrostructure, r
a
the microstructure, the access structure, the address structure and the mediostructure, and how these p
should be employed in the compilation of a French-English-Yilumbu dictionary. Because the chapters h
i
are meta-lexicographically based, the readers are introduced to the main aspects of a theoretically e
des Dictionnaires

planned dictionary. e
t

Dr Johan du Plessis C
Bureau of the Woordeboek van die Afrikaanse Taal, Stellenbosch o
n au Gabon
f
e
Although this is a highly specialised book, the author identifies his primary target group of readers c
t
as undergraduate students in linguistic science and their lecturers hailing from diverse ethnolinguistic i
o
backgrounds. He points out, however, that he intends to reach other categories of readers, such as n
secondary school pupils and the general public. Accordingly, his approach is very systematic and
d
pedagogical, explaining concepts and technical terms he uses. e
s
He shows the development of lexicographic work in Gabonese languages from the earliest times to
D
the present day, with missionaries occupying a prominent place in this activity. There are many useful
i
c
references to earlier lexicographers. The comments on the strengths and shortcomings of existing t
i
dictionaries in Gabonese languages are instructive and informative. o
n
Prof John Lubinda n
University of Botswana a
i
r
e
s
Although the author focuses on a given Gabonese language, the developments in his research are useful a
and relevant to any language with the same concern of conservation and education, and mostly to the u

field of theoretical lexicography or metalexicography. G
a
It deals with theoretical issues for dictionary compilation in languages with oral traditions. For many b
people in Gabon and elsewhere in the world, a dictionary will certainly be one of the first books in their o
n
language besides bible translations.
Dr Blanche Nyangone Assam
Postgraduate & International Office, Stellenbosch University
P
a
u
Dr Paul Achille MAVOUNGOU est Maître-Assistant (CAMES) et enseignant-chercheur au Département l

des Sciences du Langage de l’Université Omar Bongo (UOB) à Libreville, Gabon. Il est l’auteur A
de plusieurs publications aussi bien de lexicographie que de linguistique. Ses ouvrages les plus c
h
récents sont A dictionary plan of Yilumbu (2010, VDM Verlag) et Civili, langue des Baloango: i
l
Esquisse historique et linguistique (en co-auteur avec H.S. Ndinga-Koumba-Binza, 2010, Lincom le

Europa). Il est aussi Secrétaire Administratif et Financier du Laboratoire Universitaire de la M
Tradition Orale et des Dynamiques Contemporaines et Membre de la Coordination de la Chaire
a
UNESCO Interculturalité à l’UOB. v
o
u
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u Paul Achille Mavoungou
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www.sun-e-shop.co.za

Lexicographie
et Confection
des Dictionnaires
au Gabon

Paul Achille Mavoungou

Préface du PROF Rufus H. Gouws
Directeur du PROLEX
Université de Stellenbosch
Lexicographie et Confection des Dictionnaires au Gabon
Published by SUN MeDIA Stellenbosch
www.africansunmedia.co.za
www.sun-e-shop.co.za
All rights reserved. Copyright © 2010 Paul Achille Mavoungou
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any electronic, photographic
or mechanical means, including photocopying and recording on record, tape or laser disk, on microfilm,
via the Internet, by e-mail, or by any other information storage and retrieval system, without prior
written permission by the publisher.
First edition 2010
ISBN: 978-1-920109-89-9
e-ISBN: 978-1-920109-31-8
DOI: 10.18820/9781920109318
Set in 10/12 Palatino Linotype
Typesetting by SUN MeDIA Stellenbosch
Cover design by SUN MeDIA Stellenbosch
Cover image by Petr Kratochvil – HTML: <a href="http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-
image.php?image=1733&picture=colorful-pencils">Colorful Pencils</a>

SUN PReSS is an imprint of AFRICAN SUN MeDIA (Pty) Ltd. Academic, professional and reference
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directly from www.sun-e-shop.co.za

Printed and bound by SUN MeDIA Stellenbosch, Ryneveld Street, Stellenbosch, 7600.
La publication du présent ouvrage n’aurait pas été possible sans la contribution et
le soutien des personnes physiques et morales ci-après:
 Serge Stéphane Ibinga
 Serge Bruno Taty
 Patricks Voua Otomo
 Hermanno Ndenguino-Mpira
 Le Bureau du WAT
Puissent-ils trouver ici le témoignage de notre reconnaissance.
Nous adressons nos sincères remerciements au Prof Rufus H. Gouws qui a bien
voulu nous honorer en rédigeant la préface de cet ouvrage.
Nous sommes très reconnaissants à Hugues Steve Ndinga-Koumba-Binza dont le
travail de prospection, de coordination et de correction a été une contribution
significative à la réalisation de ce projet. Nous partageons avec lui l’idéal de cet
ouvrage.

À mon épouse Marina Carmelle pour tous les
sacrifices consentis.

À mes enfants Valence, Paul Timothée, Paul Arsène et
Paule Eunice Nora pour me rappeler à chaque fois qu’en
dehors de mes travaux de recherche, il y a la famille.

PRÉFACE
Dictionaries play an important role as authoritative sources of linguistic and
pragmatic help. However, users do not only rely on dictionaries as containers of
linguistic knowledge but they consult dictionaries to get guidance regarding
cultural and encyclopaedic issues. This is especially true in multilingual and
multicultural environments where dictionaries are used to translate from one
language to another but also to ensure a better understanding of the culture of the
speech communities of the languages represented in the dictionary. As utility
instruments, dictionaries should be compiled in such a way that the intended
target user is in the position to achieve a successful dictionary consultation
procedure by managing an optimal retrieval of information. A prerequisite for this
success is that a dictionary needs to have a sound theoretical basis.
Recent metalexicographic research has not only focused on the contents of
dictionaries but also on their structure and the way in which lexicographers could
and should work towards user-driven dictionaries. In this regard the research of
Dr. Paul Achille Mavoungou makes an important contribution to the
metalexicographic literature.
In this book Dr. Mavoungou focuses on dictionary making in Gabon, but he does it
within a clearly-defined theoretical framework. His outline of the Yilumbu
language and the lexicographic activities in Gabon serves as a valuable
background for the discussion that follows. And his account of the theoretical
framework and basic elements of lexicography can be regarded as a very useful
introduction to core aspects of metalexicography.
The most important contribution of this work is the way in which he leads the
reader into the sphere of theoretical lexicography and then confronts that reader
with the practical lexicographic issues of Yilumbu with a model for the
compilation of dictionaries directed at the specific needs and reference skills of a
well-identified target user group. Although the focus is on Yilumbu, many of the
theoretical proposals made by Dr. Mavoungou are not of a language-specific
nature, but they can be applied to dictionary projects aimed at other languages in
Gabon – and elsewhere. Therefore this book does not only enrich the
metalexicographic literature but offers practical lexicographers desperately needed
guidance regarding the lexicographic process applicable to their specific dictionary
projects.
This book is the result of the research Dr. Mavoungou has done for the completion
of the degree DLitt in Lexicography, in the Programme for Lexicography (PROLEX) at
the Department of Afrikaans and Dutch of the University of Stellenbosch in South
1