Edition interface for TEI dictionaries

Attestation

These are quotations from historical works, intended for attest to the use of the headword at a given time.

Citation

Citations are quotations taken from works. They are usually accompanied by a title or author's name.

Collocation

When the subentry is the headword to which one or more collocations have been added, without any further additions. I.e., "walk" - "walk around".

Note that when the collocation is a pronoun and the headword is a verb, the subentry is generally a pronominal verb, not a collocation.

In cases where there are several collocations, including pronouns and non-pronouns, "collocation" is indicated. I.e., "souvenir" - "se souvenir de".

Derivative

Derivatives are words formed from the root of the headword. Ex: "perfect" - "perfectible".

Example

Examples are sequences of words which are not "fixed". A word can be exchanged with a synonym or equivalent ("break a leg" - "break an arm"), adverbs or adjectives can be added ("break a leg" - "break a leg badly"). The example is created by lexicographs, who reuse the headword to show the reader how the explained word can be used.

The idea of the example is that it helps to understand the meaning of the word or how to use it. For instance, "the building is tall" helps to understand the word "tall," because everyone knows what a building looks like and knows that it is something quite big. On the other hand, "the high seas" is not an example, because it does not help us at all to understand the word "high". "L'òme vièlh" ("the old man") does not necessarily help to understand "vièlh" but it allows you to know that, in Occitan, this adjective is used after the noun rather than before. This is also an example.

This is the difference between an example and a locution. The example is there so that we know the headword better, while the locution is there so that we know the locution itself. For instance, if a dictionary gives us "human nature" under the heading word "human", this is not to clarify the meaning of the word "human" but so that we know the turn of phrase "human nature". So that we use it instead of "humans nature".

The example is also different from the pictorial expression. For an example, if we give someone the definitions of all the words which make it up, they will understand the meaning. For instance, "to break a vase" is understood with the definitions of "break" and "vase." On the other hand, "to break the ice" is not understood if we base ourselves solely on the definitions of "break" and "ice". Same thing for "high seas", "snake oil"...

When an expression or a locution is conjugated, it is usually classified as an example. For instance, "to take a break" would be an expression, while "I took a break" would be an example, because it's a way of using the expression.

Expression

Unlike the example, an expression is fixed (with varying degrees of fixity, it may not be completely fixed). You can't usually swap a word with one of its synonyms or equivalents ("raining cats and dogs" - "*raining cats and mice") or add an adverb ("raining cats and dogs" - "raining mostly cats and dogs").

An expression is imagery. Often, we can't understand an expression even if we have a definition of all the words which make it up. For instance, "to break a vase" is understood with the definitions of "break" and "vase." On the other hand, "to break the ice" is not understood if we base ourselves solely on the definition of "break" and "ice". Same thing for "high seas", "snake oil"...

When an expression or a locution is conjugated, it is usually classified as an example. For instance, "to take a break" would be an expression, while "I took a break" would be an example, because it's a way of using the expression.

In short, an expression is like a locution, but with the notion of an image (metaphor, comparison).

Demonym

When the subentry is the name of the inhabitants of the headword (which is a place). I.e., "London" - "Londoner".

Interjection

An interjection is usually accompanied by an exclamation mark.

Note that a command is not an interjection. Interjections are not literal. If I say "Go faster!", I want the person to go faster. This is an example of the verb "to go". On the other hand, if I say "Holy smoke!" when I am surprised, I'm not necessarily talking about smoke. It's a fixed, autonomous interjection.

Note that if the interjection is an onomatopoeia, it's labeled as an onomatopoeia and not as an interjection.

Locution

The difference between a locution and an example is the same as between an expression and an example.

The difference between a locution and an expression is that an expression uses an image (metaphor, comparison), whereas a locution is more of a turn of phrase with a non-figurative meaning. I.e., "to be starving" is a locution (literal meaning), whereas "to be starving like a bear" is an expression (using an image).

Words composed of the headword and other words from which it is separated by a space (i.e., "orchid" -> "spider orchid") are considered nominal locutions and are classified in the "locutions" category.

Compound

Compound words are words formed from the headword, by adding one or more other words to which it is glued ("doorknob") or from which it is separated by a hyphen ("high-five").

When the headword is separated from the other words by a space ("fire truck"), it is considered a nominal locution and is classified as a locution.

Proper noun

Names of cities, religious names, constellations... are classified as "proper names".

Onomatopoeia

When the expression is an onomatopoeia. I.e., "duck" - "quack-quack".

Proverb

They are sentences, with a kind of wisdom, a moral inside. They bring "knowledge".

Pronominal verb

All verbs in "s'", "se"... Ex: "alunhar" - "s'alunhar"...