Three German´s Learner´s dictionaries

State of the art of the German Learner´s Lexicography

Abstract

A learner´s dictionary is a dictionary specially designed to help learners of a foreign language. In spite of a long tradition in lexicographical research, dictionaries for students of German language show quite a lack of development in regard to its Lexicography. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the state of the art of German Pedagogical Lexicography by means of three learner´s dictionaries. As a methodological framework we use metalexicographic principles, like the distinction between a quantitative and a qualitative macrostructural definition, the analysis of the microstructural information program and the distinction between decoding and encoding functions. As a result one may say that the three dictionaries are reliable language reference works for students of German as a Foreign Language.