A Language for Specific Purposes dictionary is a dictionary that intends to describe a variety of one or more languages used by experts within a particular subject field. The discipline that deals with LSP dictionaries is usually called specialised lexicography and is a branch of lexicography.

LSP dictionaries and users

LSP dictionaries are often made for users who are already specialists with a subject field (experts), but may also be made for semi-experts and for users who may be laypeople relative to a particular subject field. In contrast to LSP dictionaries LGP (language for generic purposes) dictionaries are made to be used by an average user. LSP dictionaries may have one or more functions. LSP dictionaries may have communicative functions such as help users to translate texts, help users to understand texts and help users to produce texts. Dictionaries may also have cognitive functions such as help users to develop knowledge in general or about a specific topic, such as the birthday of a famous person and the inflectional paradigm of a specific verb.

Different types of LSP dictionary

LSP dictionaries may cover one language (monolingual LSP dictionaries) or two languages (bilingual LSP dictionaries), and occasionally more languages. An LSP dictionary that attempts to cover as much of the vocabulary in a subject field as possible is called a maximizing dictionary, and an LSP dictionary that attempts to cover a limited number of terms within a subject field is called a minimizing dictionary.

An LSP dictionary that covers more than one subject field is called a multi-field dictionary, an LSP dictionary that covers one subject field (e.g. a dictionary of law) is called a single-field dictionary, and an LSP dictionary that covers part of a subject field (e.g. a dictionary of contract law) is called a sub-field dictionary.

Relevant literature

• Sandro Nielsen: The Bilingual LSP Dictionary. Gunter Narr Verlag 1994.
• Henning Bergenholtz/Sven Tarp (eds.): Manual of Specialised Lexicography. Benjamins 1995.

External links

• Short annotated list of publications