and presentation of collocations in the Oxford Collocations Dictionary for
Students ... It argues for a pragmatic interpretation of the concept of collocation,
based.
MAKING A COLLOCATIONS DICTIONARY Abstract: This paper seeks to explain the process and principles behind the selection and presentation of collocations in the Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English. It argues for a pragmatic interpretation of the concept of collocation, based firmly on the needs of language learners. Thus, the whole range of collocations is included, from the relatively weak to the strongest and most restricted, but with the greatest emphasis on the “medium-strength” collocations between these two extremes. Judgements were not made as to the “predictability” of particular word combinations. The presentation of the collocations in the dictionary is designed to make selection of the best collocate by the user as intuitive as possible. Where possible, grammar is “pre-digested”, with collocates presented in the form in which they are most likely to be used. Collocates are grouped (but not labelled) according to semantic categories. The aim was to make the dictionary accessible not only to keen linguists, but to all who wish to improve their writing in English, whether interested in the mechanics of the language or not.
