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  • From: "JAMES CHRISTIAN READ" <JCR128 AT student.anglia.ac.uk>
  • To: b-hebrew AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: [b-hebrew] Karl's lexicon
  • Date: Fri, 24 Aug 2007 08:54:30 +0100

Hi Karl,

I've read through your introductory comments and had a
quick look through it and have a number of constructive
criticisms to make. These constructive criticisms can be
divided into two categories:

i) Programmer based
ii) Methodology based

Please allow me to first offer my opinions as a
programmer:

You write in your introduction:

KWR: One way to find entries is to copy the word to be found in the unpointed
text that one is reading, copy it to the clipboard, then paste it into the
find function of the word-processor that has opened this file. Another way to
use the dictionary is to type in the word that one wants to look up in the
find function, then hit return.

JCR: While this method is functional enough to locate
exact words the electronic copy of the exact
consonantal order of which is available it lacks a lot
in the area of usability.

Also, the chosen format of your dictionary makes it
difficult and none routine for developers to make use
of your data and extend the functionality of your
electronic dictionary.

If your electronic dictionary was a simple text file
of comma separated variables it would be routine for
me to load your data into a MySQL database back end and
extend the functionality of your dictionary by making
it hyperlinked and therefore browseable. Such a format
would also make it routine for me to make your lexicon
multilingual. However, as it stands your chosen format
requires an element of time consuming hand work which
could put developers off working with your data.

Now please allow me to make a constructive criticism
from a methodological point of view. I remember you
somewhere making the statement that your dictionary
was designed with the student in mind and not the
lexicographer. Then in your introduction you say:

KWR: This dictionary does not list all grammatical constructs, or Binyamim,
the use of it presupposes the reader's recognition of basic Hebrew grammar.
This requires the recognition of the forms, both prefixes and suffixes,
because they will not be listed in this dictionary except for some irregular
forms. The definite article and interrogative ה prefix will not be listed
here. The prefixed ב, ו, כ, ל and מ will almost always not be listed, except
in cases where the same spelling can be understood as deriving from more than
one root or they are recognized as making up a noun, so again using this
dictionary requires basic understanding of Hebrew.

JCR: I have to say that I find these two statements
incompatible. Students are often frustrated with the
level of prior knowledge that lexicons presuppose and
your dictionary could be made far more accessible to
beginning students by including a listing for each and
every attested form with possibly real life, in
context, natural examples taken from the corpus.

Progressively, I also feel that your lexicon could
benefit from entries for bi-grams and tri-grams which
could amply demonstrate the shades of meaning brought
out by greater natural contexts of individual words.

With these changes I could routinely integrate your
dictionary into my interactive Aleppo Codex reader,
concordance and frequency charts therefore making it
possible for a user to click on a word, bi-gram or
tri-gram and smoothly be brought to a translation in
the language of their choice.

James Christian Read - BSc Computer Science
http://www.lamie.org/hebrew - thesis1: concept driven machine translation
using the Aleppo codex
http://www.lamie.org/lad-sim.doc - thesis2: language acquisition simulation











































































































word, bi-gram or
tri-gram and smoothly be brought to a translation in
the language of their choice.

James Christian Read - BSc Computer Science
http://www.lamie.org/hebrew - thesis1: concept driven machine translation
using the Aleppo codex
http://www.lamie.org/lad-sim.doc - thesis2: language acquisition simulation

















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