A first sketch of the lexicographic landscape of Namibia

Abstract

Like most countries in Africa, Namibia is a multicultural and multilingual nation. Yet, little is known about Namibia’s overall lexicographic landscape. This article represents a first attempt to document the body of knowledge about lexicography in Namibia. It transpired that Namibia has a surprisingly rich lexicographic heritage, of which an overview is provided with regard to the Khoesaan languages, Oshiwambo (as a Namibian Bantu language) and Afrikaans (as an Indo-European language in Namibia). For most of the other languages, research on the state of their lexicography still has to be conducted or is underway. Consequently, although this contribution attempts to outline the nature of a “national Namibian lexicography,” its coverage is necessarily incomplete. Nevertheless, promising developments in Namibian lexicography are identified.