Pictorial Illustrations In ECLDs

China has a long history of pictorial illustrations,which can date back to thousands of years ago.In western lexicography,the practice of dictionary use of pictorial illustrations began in the 15th century;the 20th century has seen the flourishing and prosperity of the pictorial illustrations in American and British dictionaries.However,pictorial illustrations,although an important component part in the microstructure of the dictionary,have not been given due emphasis.Therefore,it would be meaningful to explore the pictorial illustrations in dictionaries.As the survey in this thesis indicates,the pictorial illustrations in English-Chinese learner's dictionaries are not as satisfactory as they are in English learner's dictionaries,since the dictionaries have not considered illustration inclusion from all aspects concerned: the function of pictorial illustrations,words to be illustrated,types and positioning of pictorial illustrations and the criteria to include pictorial illustrations.Thus,this thesis aims to explore a more comprehensive way to illustrate English-Chinese learner's dictionaries,with all the four aspects fully considered.And in turn,the compilation of English-Chinese learner's dictionaries can get some enlightenment from the analysis of the pictorial illustrations in English learner's dictionaries abroad.The present thesis is composed of six chapters,with the introduction as Chapter One.Chapter One introduces the dispute over the necessity of pictorial illustrations in bilingual dictionaries and then proves that the important status of pictorial illustrations is overlooked in China.Consequently,the objective and the layout of the thesis are presented.In Chapter Two,having probed into the history of pictorial illustrations in China and the history of pictorial illustrations in the US and UK respectively,literature review of studies of pictorial illustrations is investigated from the following aspects: the function of pictorial illustrations,words to be illustrated,types and positioning of pictorial illustrations and the criteria to include pictorial illustrations.Next, methodology,terminology and data of the present study are presented.Chapter Three deals with the use of pictorial illustrations in dictionaries from some theoretical perspectives:a philosophical point of view,the perspective of cognitive processing,a metalexicographic perspective.These theoretical perspectives prove the necessity of pictorial illustrations in English dictionaries and are able to function as supporting materials on many occasions.Chapter Four to Chapter Five is the main body of the thesis.Chapter Four systematically deals with the pictorial illustrations in English-Chinese learner's dictionaries in China.Two mainstream English-Chinese learner's dictionaries(New Age English-Chinese Dictionary and A New English-Chinese Dictionary(Century Edition) are examined from the following aspects:the functions,the types and positioning of pictorial illustrations.Chapter Five systematically investigates the pictorial illustrations in English learner's dictionaries abroad.After having examined the functions,the types and positioning of pictorial illustrations in Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English(the 3rd Edition) and Oxford Advanced English-Chinese Learner's Dictionary(the 6th Edition),it is found that many aspects of the pictorial illustrations in English learner's dictionaries are worth borrowing for English-Chinese learner's dictionaries,though there are also some drawbacks.Chapter Six is the concluding remarks,where our major findings are summarized. The limitations of the present research as well as recommendations for further study are also talked about in this chapter.