LEMMA OR NO LEMMA? DISLOCATION OF ACRONYMS IN KISWAHILI LEXICOGRAPHY

Abstract

The use of acronyms in oral and written Kiswahili communication is increasingly becomingcommon. Acronyms are used in formal and casual communication as they save time and space,facilitate an aspect of language economy and simplify communication among people. Althoughacronyms are greatly used in Kiswahili, their inclusion in dictionaries as entries has not beencomprehensively studied lexicographically. Few studies on Kiswahili acronyms are neither detailednor systematic since acronyms are not their focus. This indicates that the lexicographic treatment ofKiswahili acronyms has attracted little attention from scholars. This paper intends to examineacronyms in Kiswahili lexicography focusing on their handling and challenges. Specifically, thepaper focuses on selection, inclusion and arrangement of acronyms in eight Kiswahili generalpurpose dictionaries .