Tradition and innovation in the lexicographical technique of Raphael Bluteau in the Vocabulario Portuguez e Latino (1712-1721)

Abstract

The lexicography of the Portuguese language began timidly, in the second half of the 16^th century, and, only in the 18^th century, the first great lexicographical work, the Vocabulario Portuguez e Latino, by Raphael Bluteau, appeared. Thus, this study analyzed the first eight volumes of this work, aiming to identify some of its features in relation to the preceding Portuguese lexicographical works, in the perspectives of the History of Linguistic Ideas, with Auroux e Colombat (1999) and Verdelho (1995; 2002), as well as the History of Sciences, with Fleck (1986). The results indicate that Bluteau's work introduces techniques not yet adopted (at least, systematically) by the first dictionaries, such as: use of capital letters in the entries; detailed indication of the sources of the entries and the examples presented; wide definitions and exemplification with words that do not belong to learned use; and the use of accent to indicate the correct pronunciation.