Text structure in short dictionaries

Abstract

The short lexical text differs according to the requirements of culture,
methodology and objectives. In the history of Arabic language, some dictionaries
of Arabic have been shortened more than ten times, e.g. the dictionary of as-Sihah
has seventeen short dictionaries. These short dictionaries have some characteristics
that diserve to be examined.
We will try to discuss the way by which the original dictionary has been
shortened, showing the changes that have taken place during this process. What
has been deleted, shortened or added and what are the justifications for each case.
We will try also to show the methodology adopted by the new author. We have
examined in the study three short dictionaries of al-‘Ayn by al-Khalil, two short
dictionaries of as-Sihah by al-Gawhari and the short dictionary, al-Wassit, by the
Arabic Academy of Cairo.