Event language
UI language
This lightning talk proposes a simple and accessible approach to dictionary-making grounded in a universal pragmatic act: explaining the meaning of words to others. Rather than presenting lexicography as an activity reserved for specialists or academic institutions, the talk argues that every language community already possesses the knowledge needed to begin building its own dictionaries. The presentation introduces four simple types of dictionary definitions and explains practical methods for creating each of them, with a focus on educational and community-based contexts. Drawing from experiences related to Indigenous languages, the talk also reflects on how traditional lexicography can become unnecessarily complex and disconnected from the needs of speakers, students, and educators. Finally, the session explores how Wikimedia platforms transform dictionary-making through collaborative editing, multimedia resources, and open participation, enabling communities to create living linguistic resources that strengthen language vitality, digital inclusion, and community-driven knowledge production.
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