A model for an online Australian English cultural dictionary database

Abstract

All cultures have their own specific words, phrases, sayings, signs and symbols. Such culturally bound terms need to be defined in a special way so that they can be understood well by people from different cultures and often require more extensive coverage than that provided in a general language dictionary. A dictionary of cultural terms is an ideal vehicle for this purpose, and an online version of such a dictionary can give greater flexibility in design and content. A single database may be used to supply material for such dictionaries, meeting the needs of a variety of users. This paper proposes a concept for an online Australian English cultural dictionary database, covering three key areas: the selection of culturally bound terms, data fields and display options. The design and principles of this database may also be extended to create databases for cultural dictionaries of other languages and cultures.