The Source of Lexicographical Choices in the Dictionnaire Turc-Français Through Meynard’s Review of the Lehce-i Osmani

İrem Işıl ALTUN

Ankara Hacı Bayram Veli Üniversitesi Lisansüstü Eğitim Enstitüsü, Çağdaş Türk Lehçeleri Bilim Dalı doktora öğrencisi https://ror.org/05mskc574

Keywords: Barbier de Meynard, Ahmet Vefik, Lehce-i Osmani, Dictionnaire Turc-Français, meta-lexicographical study

Abstract

Typical features of dictionaries are the elements that identify potential users and indicate the extent to which users’ expectations will be covered. Meynard’s work titled as the Dictionnaire Turc-Français, the most important work of him for Turcology, hasn’t been subjected to such an analysis to date. Therefore, it is not exactly known in which studies the Dictionnaire Turc-Français can serve as a source. When such a study is planned, it becomes clear that the available information is insufficient according to lexicographical criterias: Meynard did not describe his own dictionary-making process; only wrote an introduction in which he mentioned his sources, the users he aimed to reach, and his general purpose. He did not even provide a user guide. Therefore, in order to analyze the Dictionnaire Turc-Français, which has not been studied in detail before, with lexicographical methods and to understand the attitude of him, it was deemed necessary to consult external data. For this purpose, data was collected by analyzing the review published in the Journal Asiatique in 1876 about the Lehce-i Osmani, which Meynard listed among the sources of his dictionary. This review has not been analyzed before, either. Within the scope of this study, Meynard’s review was translated and his criticsms were evaluated in a comparative approach. The issues addressed in the review, such as vocabulary selection, etymology, and vocalization system, were examined in the Dictionnaire Turc-Français. As a result of the research, it was determined that the Lehce-i Osmani guides the entry plan and vocabulary selection of the Dictionnaire Turc-Français, and the Lehce-i Osmani should be the main checkpoint for the irregularities about etymology and vocalization.

Ethics Committee Approval

Ethical committee approval is not required for this research.

Conflict of Interest

The author declare no conflicts of interest in this study.

Financial Disclosure

This research received no external funding.