Sin ton ni son: problemas y criterios en el tratamiento de la variación de las locuciones en la lexicografía bilingüe en línea

Although phraseological units in general, and idioms in particular, are often associated with formal stability, they frequently exhibit different forms of variation without affecting their overall meaning (Montoro del Arco, 2005). This coexistence of formal variability and semantic fixity poses significant challenges in the field of lexicography, especially regarding the selection of an appropriate citation form—that is, the form used as a reference for including the expression in the dictionary (Wotjak B., 1998; Mellado Blanco, 2008; Ortega Ojeda y González Aguiar, 2008). This issue is particularly relevant in online bilingual dictionaries, such as those linking Spanish and Catalan in both directions (García Rodríguez, 2016). This study examines how phraseological variability is represented in a sample of online bilingual dictionaries published by four different publishers. The analysis highlights a lack of common criteria for presenting these expressions, both in terms of citation style and other aspects such as actual usage, entry organization, and spelling and typographical conventions. The results point to a clear need to establish more systematic and coherent guidelines for treating idioms and other phraseological units in bilingual lexicography. Greater uniformity in presentation would facilitate consultation by users, especially in language learning or translation contexts. Ultimately, a critical review of current resources is advocated, along with the development of more consistent proposals that reflect the richness and flexibility of phraseology without sacrificing its usefulness as a reference tool.