Abstract:In this research article a study is made of the approach followed to compile the firstever monolingual dictionary for Lusoga. Lusoga is a Bantu language spoken in Uganda by slightly over two million people. Being an under-resourced language, the Lusoga orthography had to be designed, a grammar written, and a corpus built, before embarking on the compilation of the dictionary. This compilation was aimed at attaining an academic degree, hence requiring a rigorous research methodology. Firstly, the prevailing methods for compiling dictionaries were mainly practical and insufficient in explaining the theoretical linguistic basis for dictionary compilation. Since dictionaries are based on meaning, the theory of meaning was used to account for all linguistic data considered in dictionaries. However, meaning is considered at a very abstract level, far removed from the process of compiling dictionaries. Another theory, the theory of modularity, was used to bridge the gap between the theory of meaning and the compilation process. The modular theory explains how the different modules of a language contribute information to the different parts of the dictionary article or dictionary information in general. Secondly, the research also had to contend with the different approaches for analysing Bantu languages for Bantu and European audiences. A description of the Bantu-and European-centred approaches to Bantu studies was undertaken in respect of (a) the classification of Lusoga words, and (b) the specification of their citations. As a result, Lusoga lexicography deviates from the prevailing Bantu classification and citation of nouns, adjectives and verbs in particular. The dictionary was tested on two separate occasions and all the feedback was considered in the compilation process. This article, then, gives an overall summary of all the steps involved in the compilation of the Eiwanika ly'Olusoga, i.e. the Monolingual Lusoga Dictionary.Keywords: LEXICOGRAPHY, MONOLINGUAL DICTIONARY, THEORETICAL FRAME-WORK, DICTIONARY TESTING, EURO-CENTRED, BANTU-CENTRED, ORTHOGRAPHY, GRAMMAR, WORD CLASSES, BANTU LANGUAGES, LUSOGA, UGANDA Obufunze: Okuwandiika Eiwanika ly'Olusoga Elyasookela Ilala. Mu kiwandiiko kino mulimu ennambulula y'eisomo elyasinziilwaku okuwandiika eiwanika ly'Olusoga elisookeile ilala. Olusoga lugwa mu nnimi dh'ekika kya Bantu ela lwogelwa abantu abaswika mu bukaile obubili mu Uganda. Engeli Olusoga ye lwali nga ti lugundhiivu bulungi mu buwandiike, kyali kyetaagisa okwekalilisa walifu y'Olusoga, okuwandiika gulaama n'okuzimba eitelekelo ly'ebiwandiiko ebisinziilwaku okuwandiika Olusoga. Okuwandiika eiwanika lino kwali kilala ku bigendelelwa by'omusomo gw'omuwandiisi. Noolwekyo engeli y'okunoonheleza ku byetaagisa yalina okuba nga yeetengelela ku mutindo gw'obwevu. Okusookela ilala empandiika y'amawanika ebailewo ebaile esinga kulaga omulimu ogukoleibwa aye ng'engeli gye gutuukiibwaku teinhonholwa bukalamu. Amawanika gasinga kulondoola ntegeelo dha bigambo ela omusingi gw'entegeelo n'ogwalina okwesigamibwaku...

In this research article a study is made of the approach followed to compile the firstever monolingual dictionary for Lusoga. Lusoga is a Bantu language spoken in Uganda by slightly over two million people. Being an under-resourced language, the Lusoga orthography had to be designed, a grammar written, and a corpus built, before embarking on the compilation of the dictionary. This compilation was aimed at attaining an academic degree, hence requiring a rigorous research methodology. Firstly, the prevailing methods for compiling dictionaries were mainly practical and insufficient in explaining the theoretical linguistic basis for dictionary compilation. Since dictionaries are based on meaning, the theory of meaning was used to account for all linguistic data considered in dictionaries. However, meaning is considered at a very abstract level, far removed from the process of compiling dictionaries. Another theory, the theory of modularity, was used to bridge the gap between the theory of meaning and the compilation process. The modular theory explains how the different modules of a language contribute information to the different parts of the dictionary article or dictionary information in general. Secondly, the research also had to contend with the different approaches for analysing Bantu languages for Bantu and European audiences. A description of the Bantu-and European-centred approaches to Bantu studies was undertaken in respect of (a) the classification of Lusoga words, and (b) the specification of their citations. As a result, Lusoga lexicography deviates from the prevailing Bantu classification and citation of nouns, adjectives and verbs in particular. The dictionary was tested on two separate occasions and all the feedback was considered in the compilation process. This article, then, gives an overall summary of all the steps involved in the compilation of the Eiwanika ly'Olusoga, i.e. the Monolingual Lusoga Dictionary.

Despite some heroic efforts over the past few years, Lusoga remains mostly underdeveloped. It is under continuous pressure from more prestigious languages, such as the neighbouring Luganda and especially the only official language in Uganda, English. Lusoga is undergoing rapid language shifts, with new concepts entering the language daily. Ironically, this process is taking place before Lusoga has even been properly reduced to writing. There is no single official orthography that is truly being enforced; people who do write, write as they think fit. Language data is needed for the production of reliable reference works. In the absence of a substantial body of published material in Lusoga, the researcher can resort to recording and transcribing the living language. This opens Pandora's box, in that spoken language (which is meant to be heard, and is typically less formal) is far more complex than written language (which is meant to be read, and is typically more formalised). Spoken and written variants are, by definition, different. And yet one wants to move the language forward, in a way, before the time is ripe. But then, with over two million speakers, how much longer can one wait? This article reports on the building of a new Lusoga corpus, nearly half of which consists of transcribed oral data. The writing problems encountered during the transcription effort are given detailed attention. Dealing with those writing problems in lexicography requires a multipronged approach. While most could be solved by laying down a norm, and thus through prescriptive lexicography, others need a more cautionary approach, and thus descriptive lexicography. Others still can only sensibly be solved when the lexicographer proposes certain options in defiance of existing norms and assumptions, at which point proscriptive lexicography needs to be called in. Keywords

Abstract:In this article, a case is presented of an existing dictionary that is aimed at users with a minimum of primary 7 education, now faced with demands from users in primary 1-3. The reason for this demand is the result of the fact that Lusoga is currently being implemented as a medium of instruction in Uganda, in an environment where there is hardly any literature to serve the intended purpose. A review of the existing literature in and on Lusoga shows that the monolingual Lusoga dictionary -Eiwanika ly'Olusoga (WSG) -is the only reference work with essential information, in Lusoga, that can initiate the teaching of Lusoga at the elementary level. Although the information in the WSG may fit the purpose at hand, that information is mainly presented as a summary, with statements of conclusions only. Explanations to ease its access to the new user are thus missing. Findings from a pilot study conducted by the National Curriculum Development