Re: advice needed: making a dictionary

In a message dated 12/15/01 6:29:34 AM, kalatunu@HOTMAIL.COM writes:

<< i listed the 1400-or-so root words of my conlang. now i'd

like to start developping this lexicon into a dictionary.

does anyone know whether i should keep using Excel or Access

or rather use another specific software? >>

    If you'd like my advice, I'd say just use a regular word processing
program.  I have a Mac, but I once sent my dictionary to my girlfriend who
has a non-Mac, and it worked out just the same.
    The language with my biggest dictionary (nearing the 200 page mark) is
set up in the following way:

Section I: Rules and Grammar.
Section II: Easy Reference Section.
Section III: Megdevi - English

    Here's an example of what an entry in this section would look like (note:
my language operates off a triconsonantal system, so the root comes first,
and all its definitions afterwards.  Also, the roots are always in bold, as
are the entries; the definitions are not.  You should view this with a
mono-space font):

D l v
    Dalava (v., tr.) to love (someone/thing--generic term); Dilejvat (v.n.)
    love; DelIv (n.n.) (a/the) lover; dZaDalava (v., in.) to be in love, to
    be a lover; DAlov (o.n.) (a/the) love, or loved object, or loved one,
    beloved; Daliv (n.a.) loving, lovely (not describing action); Dalivad
    (v.a.) loving (describing action only); Dul&v (o.a.) loved; Dalavisa
    (v., p.) to be loved; DalUllava (v., inch.) to become loved, to grow to
    love; DilEv (p.n.) a loving place, a home; Sp&Dalava (v., tr.) to love
    (someone/thing) for the wrong reasons; DelIvEx (n.n.) (an/the) unwanted
    lover; Dilva (c.) the color of love (red or pink; a warm color);
    DalavEksa (v., tr.) to adore (something/one); rAkDalava (v., tr.) to love
    (someone/thing) in secret; rAkDelIv (n.n.) (a/the) secret admirer; DelEv
    (m.) the month of love (a name for any spring month); DElEv (s.) the
    season of love (spring)

And the list could go on.  I tend to cut it off, understanding that if I add
a suffix or prefix to one form, I'll be able to derive all the other forms in
my head.
    This method always works well for me because: (1) the roots stick out to
the left so that they're easy to find (you cand do this with a root word, as
well--just remember to use tab to keep everything neat), and (2) since it's
on a word processing application I'm doing this, I know all the functions,
and if I ever need to find anything, that "find" key is always handy (Word
has this too).

Section IV: English - Megdevi

    This section I didn't care about so much because it's the above section
that takes the most work.  What I usually will do is list one English word,
it's translation, and then say (see ? ? ?), where the question marks stand
for the root letters:

love (n.) Dilejvat (see D l v)

    This is the strategy that works best for me.  With my languages that
don't have a triconsonantal root system, I still do the same thing.  The
first thing I create is usually a dictionary--well, after the rules, of
course.  I wouldn't be able to keep track of anything without one.  Hope this
helps.  :)

-David

"Zi hiwejnat zodZaraDatsi pat Zi mirejsat dZaCajani sUlo."
"The future's uncertain and the end is always near."
                --Jim Morrison