Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of Current English
gun /gAn/ n 1 (C) any type of weapon that fires bullets or shells (shell 4a) from a metal tube: fire a gun ° threaten sb with a gun ° Look out, he’s got a gun! ° a warship with 16‑inch guns ° anti‑aircraft guns ° a toy gun ° a gun battle between rival gangs.See also airgun, handgun, machine‑gun. picture.
2 the gun (sing) the signal to begin a race, made by firing a starting pistol(i): Wait for the gun! 3 (C) (esp in compounds) a tool that forces out a substance or an object: a0grease‑gun ° a0 staple‑gun. 4 (C) (US infml) a person who carries a gun in order to shoot people: a hired gun.IDM going great guns great,jump the gun JUMP1spike sb’s guns spike v.stick to one’s guns STICK2.
> gun v (‑nn‑)phr v be 0gunning for sb (infml) to be looking for an opportunity to criticize sb/gun sb 0down (infml) (usu passive) to shoot sb, esp killing or seriously injuring them: He was gunned down as he left his home.
· 0gun dog n a dog trained to help in the sport of shooting, eg by collecting birds that have been shot. 0gun‑metal n (U) a metal that is a mixture of copper and tin or zinc: gun‑metal grey (ie a dull, bluish‑grey colour).
gunboat /0gAnbqVt/ n a small warship carrying heavy guns or missiles.
· 0gunboat di0plomacy n (U) political negotiation supported by the threat of force.
gunfire /0gAnfaIq(r)/ n (U) the firing of a gun or guns or the sound of this: hear the crack of gunfire ° A burst of gunfire came from our left.
A close comparison of the two entries reveals many interesting similarities and differences. In both cases the headword is printed in bold type, the word is provided with the indication of the word‑class – n (OALD) and n.& v. (COD) printed in italics, different senses of the word are separated from one another by numbers and each sense is defined. In both entries there are idioms, compounds and phrasal verbs but their presentation is different: in the OALD there are special signs which make it easier for the user to find them in the entry.
What are other differences? The way the pronunciation is given differs: the OALD uses International Phonetic Alphabet symbols whereas the COD has transcription without respelling. If the COD occasionally illustrates a sense of the word, the OALD does it regularly and provides the user with plenty of examples. In addition, the OALD specifies grammatical information necessary for correct uses of the word in different senses (1. – (C) – countable, 2. (sing) – singular).
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The COD entry contains some etymological information which is absent in the OALD. But the latter finds it necessary to give users an idea of different types of the gun and draws their attention to some of its parts which are clearly seen in the picture.
Another difference is its treatment of derived words. The COD includes them in the same entry, the OALD treats them as separate entries.
It follows that the learner’s dictionary avoids difficulties and strives for clearer presentation of various linguistic information. Here are the design features of learner’s monolingual dictionaries as described by R.R.K.Hart‑mann («The Dictionary as an Aid to Foreign‑Language Teaching», 1989):
1) the word‑list is selected according to criteria of frequency and usefulness;
2) the definitions are geared to the more limited vocabulary of the foreign learner;
3) the different senses of the headword are clearly descriminated;
4) collocational detail is provided, usually by example sentences;
5) grammatical coding is detailed and explicit;
6) phonetic transcription is international;
7) stylistic information is given, typically by usage labels;
8) textual transparency is considered desirable;
9) historical etymological information is (usually) avoided;
10) cultural information is (occasionally) provided, e.g. by pictures.
A detailed reference guide to the language, the learner’s dictionary, then, can help learners to build their active vocabulary, produce more accurate written work, make bright speeches and improve their reading comprehension and translation skills.
It follows from what has been expounded above that the reference needs of their users are the ultimate justification for dictionaries. «If the users happen to be learners of foreign languages, dictionary compilers have special responsibilities and opportunities to select and present the information in ways appropriate to their particular reference skills» (Hartmann, R.R.K. The Dictionary as an Aid to Foreign‑Language Teaching. 1989). Thus, the most important characteristic of learner’s lexicography is its anthropocentric nature. The underlying principal of the learner’s dictionary is its pedagogical orientation.
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