To the question of choosing a dictionary (based on dictionaries of historical terms)

Abstract

The article deals with the importance of the choice of a dictionary for specific purposes taking into account the functional approach and users` perspective. Thereby the architecture of the following prominent dictionaries of historical terms is viewed: English-Russian Historical Dictionary: 30 000 Names, Titles and Terms by G. A. Nikolaev; Dictionary of Historical Terms, Notions and Realia: Russian, English, French, German by E. L. Khokhlova. The dictionary type of every dictionary under analysis is described as well as its mega-, macroand microstructure. It is concluded that the dictionary is anthropocentric, user-oriented and user-friendly, culturally and didactically significant. Several principles of the architecture of the dictionaries under analysis are criticized. The research and the article are based on the contemporary linguistic material and accumulate all the crucial lexicographic theories and concepts. Lexicographic analysis was conducted according to the following generally accepted criteria: language, source, addressee, type, volume, criteria of vocabulary selection, and means of lexicographic processing of a word in a dictionary. Considerable practical material was used for the article including the given dictionaries under analysis alongside other accessible English-Russian dictionaries of historical terms. The article is for students of History Department, translators, educators and people learning foreign languages for different purposes. The practical slant of the article and the research is evident as the obtained results are planned to be used during the classes at the university and other educational institutions.