Contextualised dictionary literacy, information literacy and information behaviour in the e-environment

Abstract

PurposeNeeds for information literacy, disparities in society, bridging digital divides, richness of information sources in electronic (e-)environments and the value of dictionaries have often been propagated. To improve information sources and information literacy training, information behaviour must be understood (i.e. all information activities). This paper conceptualises new opportunities for information sources (e.g. electronic dictionaries) to all society sectors, dictionary literacy and research lenses such as lexicography to supplement information literacy and behaviour research.Design/methodology/approachA scoping review of information literacy and behaviour, lexicography and dictionary literature grounds the conceptualisation of dictionary literacy, its alignment with information literacy, information activities and information behaviour and lexicography as additional research lens.FindingsResearch lenses must acknowledge dictionary use in e-environments, information activities and skills, meanings of information and dictionary literacy, the value of e-dictionaries, alignment with information behaviour research that guides the development of information sources and interdisciplinary research from, e.g. lexicography – thus contextualisation.Research limitations/implicationsResearch implications – information behaviour and information literacy research can be enriched by lexicography as research lens. Further conceptualisation could align information behaviour, information literacy and dictionary literacy.Practical implicationsDictionary training, aligned with information literacy training, can be informed by this paper.Social implicationsThe value of dictionary literacy for all sectors of societies can be improved.Originality/valueLarge bodies of literature on information behaviour and lexicography individually do not cover combined insights from both.

Enhancing conceptualisations of information behaviour contexts through insights from research on e-dictionaries and e-lexicography

“…Electronic dictionaries can be valuable to learners in everyday life and, in particular, to professionals in the workplace. Understanding how people use such dictionaries can infuse information literacy training (Bothma, 2018;Bothma and Fourie, 2024), but, as we realised through our research, conceptualisations of context in information behaviour research (focusing strongly on users' context) can also be enhanced (Bergenholtz and Bothma, 2011;Bergenholtz et al, 2015;Bothma and Fourie, 2024;Bothma andGouws, 2020, 2022;Fourie, 2012Fourie, , 2020. We will illustrate in this paper how this can be done.…”

“…The second is a noun, indicated by n.. The third is an adjective, indicated by adj., discussed in more detail in Bothma and Fourie (2024). Based on the reader's (assumed) grammatical knowledge, they should understand that the first two lemmata are not relevant in context, but the third one is correct.…”

“…'Dictionaries are important, authoritative sources of information used to fulfil everyday life needs to understand words, their spelling, use and origin as well as to fulfil sophisticated subject-specific needs' (Bothma and Fourie, 2024). The advent of electronic (e-) dictionaries opened up opportunities for many people to use dictionaries whenever they need them, e.g.…”

“…Although there is a wealth of literature on information behaviour (Case and Given, 2016;Given et al, 2023) and, as is evident from papers delivered at Information Seeking in Context (ISIC) conferences, very little research has been done on electronic dictionaries from an information behaviour perspective. Exceptions are Bothma and Fourie (2024), Bothma and Gouws (2022), Bothma and Prinsloo (2013) and Huang and Tarp (2021). Extensive discussions have taken place on the importance of contexts in information behaviour research and conceptualisations of information behaviour contexts.…”