Chapter 20 - Dictionary Audiences

Summary

User studies have generated considerable insight into the functional dimensions of dictionaries, but dictionaries are cultural artifacts as well as utilitarian tools and must be regarded as having not only users but also audiences. A review of the historical development of commercial and institutional dictionaries reveals the different audiences implicitly or explicitly targeted by dictionary producers over time. Scholarship on the usage of monolingual dictionaries shows that the attributes audiences expect in a dictionary and the power of the dictionary as a cultural institution vary significantly among countries and communities. In the twenty-first century, the advent of electronic dictionaries, dictionary licensing, and social media introduced new complications to the relationship between dictionaries and their audiences. The blurring of boundaries around the monolingual dictionary happened at a time when debates over words and their meaning were increasingly prominent in public discourse over topics such as gender, race, and sexuality, sometimes resulting in media controversies. To remain relevant in this landscape, dictionaries must now consider audience expectations as well as user needs.