Analysis of Word and Entry Arrangement in siSwati Bilingual Dictionaries

This qualitative study examines the arrangement of words and entries in three siSwati bilingual dictionaries: Concise SiSwati-English/English-SiSwati, Silulu SeSiSwati English-SiSwati/SiSwati-English, and SiSwati-English Dictionary. The research investigates whether these dictionaries effectively assist non-siSwati speakers and siSwati speakers in locating information. The study was motivated by observations that both second-language and mother tongue siSwati learners enrolled in a lexicography course at the University of Eswatini encountered difficulties when searching for words in the dictionaries. Using a comparative analysis of existing dictionary contents and learner’s interviews, this study adopts a user-perspective approach. Key findings reveal that all three dictionaries employ distinct arrangements for headwords and information, each following its own presentation style. Notably, in Silulu SesiSwati English-SiSwati/SiSwati-English Dictionary, certain words and details appear in only one section, either English-siSwati or siSwati-English, but not both. Again, some dictionaries lack user guidance on how to access information effectively. The study also reveals that some learners had difficulty locating lemmas. The study concludes that these dictionaries are not user-friendly, particularly for users with limited dictionary skills. To address this, it recommends that teachers introduce learners to African language dictionaries at an earlier stage of their acquisition. Furthermore, siSwati lexicographers should revise existing dictionaries to better accommodate the needs of diverse user groups.