Designing a Learner's Dictionary with Phraseological Disambiguators

摘要

In this paper, we propose a strategy for sense disambiguation through phraseology in the modelling of a learner's dictionary. The theoretical basis is that, as corpus evidence shows, clusters of similar senses of a verb can be identified by their common collocates. This paper is part of a study for the design of an Italian advanced learner's dictionary. The present goal is to portray the meaning profile of verbs by explicitly marking the conceptual and phraseological differences between their senses through a multilevel structure of meaning disambiguators that logically guide the user towards the needed data. The top level is constituted by onto-logical disambiguators, the middle level by common collocates, and the bottom level by normal patterns of usage. We are currently investigating the feasibility and usefulness of implementing John Sinclair's vision of 'the ultimate dictionary', based on his conception of lexical units. The lexicographic project is in its design stage and is intended as a platform for cooperation between the Zanichelli publishing house and a network of international universities and research institutes.