This book contains a collection of original research articles on lexicography written by
prominent international scholars within the field. It aims at describing the state-of-the-art
in lexicography at the beginning of the 21st century and at making proposals for future
theoretical and practical work in the field. Theoretical lexicography currently has two
competing theories: a contemplative theory focusing on the description of existing dictionaries
on the basis of linguistic principles and a function-based transformative theory focusing on
the dictionary and the user in order to develop new principles for dictionary research and
dictionary making. Research in lexicography has now reached a crossroads and it is time to take
stock of the present situation and try to identify the theories and principles that will set
the agenda and point the direction for future lexicographic research and the production of
printed and electronic dictionaries.
