Language, dictionaries and society: the (re)presentation of LGBTQ individuals in Oxford online English dictionaries

Drawing on the framework of Critical Lexicographical Discourse Studies, this research examines how LGBTQ individuals are (re)presented in the Oxford online English dictionaries (OOEDs) through an analysis of LGBTQ slang terms and their accompanying examples within the dictionaries. The findings reveal that while OOEDs strive for descriptiveness by including a substantial number of LGBTQ slang terms, they also impose prescriptive constraints on users through selective inclusion, definition, and markedness. In their representation of LGBTQ individuals, OOEDs attempt to mitigate societal prejudice by incorporating inclusive markers such as ‘LGBT+’, gender-neutral pronouns like ‘they’, and neutral binary gender classifications such as ‘queer males and females’. However, they simultaneously perpetuate gender bias, which is evident in the use of binary gender pronouns, and reinforce hierarchical power dynamics both within and among LGBTQ groups. This study posits that, influenced by the dual pressures of linguistic realities and political correctness, online dictionary writers bear the responsibility of shaping social values while navigating the delicate balance between descriptive and prescriptive content presentation, as well as between challenging and reinforcing societal ideologies and power relations. The study sheds light on the interplay between language, dictionaries and society.