The treatment of synonymy and cross-references in special-language dictionaries (SLDs)

The features which distinguish special-language dictionaries from general-language dictionaries are described and exemplified by three technical dictionaries. The differences are explained in terms of differences in user groups and their expectations. Particular attention is devoted to the way conceptual relationships are expressed in these dictionaries by means of cross-references. Weaknesses in existing notations are pointed out, and alternatives for marking interconceptual relations are indicated.