Orðabókarstörf Konráðs Gíslasonar

Abstract

The article is concerned with the lexicographical work of Konráð Gíslason (1808–1891) who was a professor of Nordic philology at the University of Copenhagen and better known as a grammarian. After a short introduction I discuss An Icelandic-English Dictionary (1874), which Gíslason worked on for fourteen years in company with other Icelanders but had not the opportunity to prepare for printing. Next I turn to the Dönsk-íslenzk orðabók (Danish-Icelandic dictionary) that Gíslason published in 1851.  The main model for this work was Dansk Ordbog (Danish dictionary) by Christian Molbech, published in 1833. By comparing one column in Gíslason’s dictionary with the corresponding one in Molbech’s work it becomes evident that Gíslason used Molbech‘s text and examples extensively as a source. I then compare the words Gíslason regarded as loan words with Ludvig Meyer’s book on loan words from 1844 since Molbech avoided such words in his dictionary. Other sources are also discussed, in particular it is investigated which of the numerous neologisms of the poet Jónas Hallgrímsson were taken up by Gíslason.  Separate sections are devoted to the reception of the Danish-Icelandic dictionary by Gíslason’s contemporaries, and the Danish-Icelandic dictionary by Jónas Jónasson that was published in 1896 is discussed as well as the reason why Gíslason’s dictionary was not revised and published again. Chapter four deals with dictionaries that Gíslason worked on during various periods of his professional life without seeing any of them published.