The Dynamics of Typographical Error Reproduction: Optimising Formal Correctness in Three Specialised Bilingual Dictionaries

Abstract

It is only through an extreme concern for accuracy and the understanding of typographical errors that authors can turn specialised dictionaries into high quality reference works. This paper describes patterns of typographical error reproduction in three specialised English-Spanish dictionaries. We approach intratextual error reproduction (within a particular dictionary), either through related subentries or through non-related subentries. In addition, we compare the frequency of errors between dictionaries written by institutional lexicographers and works written by freelance professionals. The purpose is to provide a model for typographical error detection and analysis that may contribute to formal correctness in reference works. The reason is twofold: a) dictionaries are expected to be high-standard primary tools for language professionals; b) data quality is essential for a wide variety of utilities, ranging from dictionary writing systems and writing assistants to corpus tools. Keywords: data quality, data reusability, specialised bilingual lexicography, typographical error reproduction.