Afrikaans lexicography: past, present and future

Abstract

This contribution attempts to provide a broad overview of Afrikaans lexicography. It starts with a brief account of the highlights in the history of the Afrikaans language that are relevant to its lexicography. Then it zooms in to the main categories of contemporary tangible artefacts: the comprehensive dictionary, standard monolingual and bilingual dictionaries, monolingual and bilingual school dictionaries, and language for specific purpose (LSP) dictionaries. For each category, an overview of recent developments and innovations are presented, the most notable of which are found in learner’s and school dictionaries. The professionalisation of Afrikaans lexicography is addressed by considering the core business of lexicography and distinguishing it from other occupations dealing with reference sources, followed by an evaluation of its state of professionalisation against criteria by which a professional occupation is defined. The contribution closes by looking at the future, particularly the potential impact of e-lexicography, digital developments and AI, as well as the most recent international developments in education, while remaining grounded in the Southern African realities.