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Lexicographer with OUP: Eleanor

This Case Study belongs to Lexicographer.

I studied Comparative Literature with French at UEA and took options in Spanish and translation. When I graduated I decided to pursue these interests with an MA in Applied Translation at Leeds.

I had never thought of being a lexicographer and didn’t really know what it entailed. I was looking for translation jobs before finishing my Masters, without luck. When I saw an ad in the Guardian for an editor on bilingual (French-English) dictionaries, the opportunity sounded interesting and matched my skills and interests, so I applied. This is my first job since graduation, but I’d had summer office jobs abroad which improved my languages, plus gave me general office skills and an awareness of the professional environment.

I started as assistant editor, and progressed to editor. We use that title over the more specialised 'lexicographer' because we have quite diverse roles; working for a smallish company means you get involved in all different aspects of a project.

At the beginning of a project we work out who needs to do what. We work with our typesetting department on the book’s design and features. The lexicography part involves adding new English entries to the dictionary, providing translations for new French entries and updating existing material. I work with a French colleague to find the best translations. We decide how to structure entries and write examples to illustrate usage. Most dictionaries have extra features like cultural notes and communication guides, which I research and write. Then there are several proofreading stages. Before the book goes on sale we consider different cover options and write marketing copy. Besides dictionaries I do editorial work on phrasebooks and grammar books. We’re constantly on the lookout for new words and editors meet regularly to discuss items for possible inclusion. We publish dictionaries for all levels, so have to consider the target users’ needs.

We’ve recently been developing our own corpus so will be making use of that when compiling entries. It’s a constant challenge producing dictionaries to compete with online resources, so we’re working more with audio and online content as well as trying to come up with exciting new designs. I prefer the more creative aspects of the job: researching and writing text, finding and translating new words, suggesting design ideas and writing publicity material. It’s less fun when you have hundreds of pages of dense dictionary text to proofread. Project management is a mixed blessing - it’s nice to have your own project to organise as you want, and to build relationships with freelancers, but frustrating when other people don’t stick to the brief or appreciate deadlines! I enjoy the independence - as long as I get the work done, I can juggle things around as I please. It’s satisfying to see your name in the finished book and know you helped produce it. The downsides are the work can be dull, it can be tiring staring at a computer or proofs all day and the pay and promotion prospects aren’t great. Work can be stressful when you have lots of tight deadlines, but on the whole I prefer being busy to being bored! It’s generally a 9-5 desk job (though we have flexitime and sometimes unpaid overtime). You don’t really get out and meet people, though I have been to the odd conference/exhibition to promote our books.

It’s tricky to get into as there aren’t many dictionary publishers and vacancies are quite rare. Relevant postgraduate studies are an advantage, not necessarily in lexicography, but involving language, linguistics or translation. Some publishing experience might help (a work placement, or some freelance editing or proofreading), but I have just picked this up on the job. You need an excellent vocabulary and grasp of grammar, and a good awareness of new words and how language is used. You also need an excellent eye for detail and the ability to concentrate for long periods. You should be able to think logically and explain things clearly. But some creativity is helpful too, e.g. thinking of the clearest and most appealing way to present information. There tend to be several projects going on at once, so it’s essential to be organised and calm, particularly if you’re the project manager.

Case Study sourced by Mark Turnbull of AGCAS, 20 February 2009.