An LSP (language for specific purposes) dictionary is a dictionary that is intended to describe a variety of one or more languages used by experts within a particlar subject field. The discipline that deals with LSP dictionaries is usually called specialised lexicography and is a branch of lexicography.
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.
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 (http://www.sprog.asb.dk/SN/publikationer.htm)
The optimum legal translation dictionary should contain separate chapters (components) that deal with the different linguistic aspects of legal translation across cultures, and it is much more than just a book containing a list of legal terms in the source language and their translation into the target language.
The lingusitical approach to the dictionary as a concept operates with a subject matter, but the analysis reveals that it is not optimal to look at "the subject matter" of a dictionary within the existing theoretical, linguistically-based framework.
Instead a lexicographical approach is presented in which the dictionary is analysed as an object of investigation, and a new definition of the concept of dictionary is suggested.
LSPdictionaries 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.
An LSPdictionary that attempts to cover as much of the vocabulary in a subject field as possible is called a maximizing dictionary, and an LSPdictionary that attempts to cover a limited number of terms within a subject field is called a minimizing dictionary.
a dictionary of law) is called a single-field dictionary, and an LSPdictionary that covers part of a subject field (e.g.
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