This article aims to demonstrate the hypothesis that the use of native culture (C1) in EFL learners' dictionary definitions and/or examples is useful in the comprehension of the lookedup words. This is done by means of a survey involving more than 100 lower-intermediate EFL Catalan students. The subjects were first presented with a pre-test in which they had to translate 30 English words. Then they were divided into two groups, each of whom had to take a different test. Test 1 contained the definitions of the 30 words taken from a dictionary aimed at a global audience, whereas in test 2 the definitions were taken from a culturally nativized dictionary, that is, a dictionary that included C1 elements. In the tests, the students were asked to translate again the 30 English headwords given in the pre-test. After comparing the results of the pre-test with those of the tests, the study concludes that students who use an EFL dictionary that includes C1 references have more than double the possibilities of understanding the meaning of a new looked-up word than those who do not. The results obtained confirm for the first time in the field of pedagogical lexicography the tenets of schema theory, which highlights the importance of background (e.g. cultural) knowledge to improve reading comprehension. The main implication of this finding for lexicography is that it is desirable that designers of EFL dictionaries deploy nativized versions, especially at lower levels, in order to facilitate comprehension of the foreign language.
<p>ABSTRACT: In view of the benefits of both monolingual and bilingual dictionaries, a new type of dictionary which combines the strong points of a monolingual learner's dictionary with those of a bilingual dictionary was designed and introduced into some Catalan primary and secondary schools: the Easy English Dictionary with a Catalan–English Vocabulary. This article looks in detail at this new kind of dictionary: its philosophy, the way it functions, its advantages over other kinds of dictionaries and the fact that the monolingual part is specifically aimed at Catalan learners of English. Additionally, the article deals with the pedagogical functions of illustrations as well as the adequacy of the dictionary to the lexical needs and requirements of Catalan learners of English in primary and secondary education.</p><p>OPSOMMING: 'n Tweetalig verklarende Engelse woordeboek vir sprekers van Katalaans. Gesien die voordele van sowel eentalige as tweetalige woordeboeke, is 'n nuwe soort woordeboek wat die sterk punte van 'n eentalige aanleerderswoordeboek met dié van 'n tweetalige woordeboek kombineer, ontwerp en ingevoer in sekere Katalaanse primêre en sekondêre skole: die Easy English Dictionary with a Catalan–English Vocabulary. Hierdie artikel kyk in besonderhede na dié nuwe soort woordeboek: sy filosofie, die manier waarop dit funksioneer, sy voordele bo ander soorte woordeboeke en die feit dat die eentalige deel spesifiek gerig is op Katalaanse aanleerders van Engels. Daarbenewens behandel die artikel die opvoedkundige funksies van illustrasies, asook die leksikale behoeftes en vereistes van Katalaanse aanleerders van Engels in die primêre en sekondêre onderwys.</p><p>Sleutelwoorde: VREEMDETAALAANLEER, TWEETALIG VERKLARENDE WOORDEBOEKE, ILLUSTRASIES, GLOKALISERING, OPVOEDKUNDIGE DEFINISIES, KATALAANSE AANLEERDERS VAN ENGELS, LEKSIKOGRAFIE</p>
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