Quando a Linguística Aplicada e a Psicologia Cognitiva auxiliam a Lexicografia: ilustrações em dicionários infantis

Abstract

This paper evaluated the usefulness of illustrations in three children’s dictionaries for Brazilian children developing literacy. Three dictionaries from PNLD Dicionários (BRASIL, 2012) were analysed: Meu primeiro livro de palavras (MPLP, 2010); Meu primeiro dicionário Caldas Aulete (MPCA, 2009); and Dicionário Infantil Ilustrado Evanildo Bechara (DInf, 2011). The theoretical basis of the paper comes from the concepts of elucidation and the dictionary’s user profile in Metalexicography (FARIAS, 2013); Applied Linguistics, specifically difficulties children experience when developing literacy (CAGLIARI, 2003; PESSOA; MORAIS, 2010); and Cognitive Psychology, precisely data of familiarity among Brazilian children (POMPÉIA et al., 2001). First, I analysed which familiar and orthographically difficult referents were included and if there were illustrations. Then, I evaluated the degree of elucidation in each illustration found. Results reveal that there are as many cases with elucidative illustrations as cases with non-elucidative illustrations and cases without illustration when this resource would help the user. The main problem of illustrations from all the three dictionaries analysed was the lack of inclusion criteria based on the user’s needs.