understand them, in their own everyday language (Hurford & Heasley, 1983). Katz and Fodor (1963) state that dictionary explicates the meaning of the term by relating the word with the other words which have the similar sense of relationship such as synonym, antonym, and hyponym.
Indexing consistency in a group of indexers is defined as "the degree of agreement in the representation of the essential information content of the document by certain sets of indexing terms selected individually and independently by each of the indexers in the group" (Tonta, 1975). Based on the theory, we can see the consistency of a dictionary from the writer representation in processing the same information.
METHODOLOGY
This study was trying to discover the consistency of OALD Online in defining flower names definition. The names of flowers chosen were flowers that commonly and widely known by most people (the list of name of the flowers can be seen in the result and discussion part). This study found the truth by analyzing the experts’ findings through books, journals, and OALD Online. This research was library-study research.
RESULT AND DISCUSSION 1. Data Collected
Having the OALD Online, the data of the definition of flower’s names had been collected to discover the consistency of the definition based on the classification of the specific information (hyponymy). Here is the list of flowers definition cited from OALD Online:
Table 1.1
No. Word Meaning
1. Rose a flower with a sweet smell that grows on a bush with thorns (=
sharp points) on its stems
2. Jasmine a plant with white or yellow flowers with a sweet smell, sometimes used to make perfume and to flavour tea
3. Tulip a large, brightly coloured spring flower, shaped like a cup, on a tall stem
4. Orchid a plant with brightly coloured flowers of unusual shapes. There are many different types of orchid and some of them are very rare.
5. Bougainvillea a tropical climbing plant with red, purple, white or pink flowers 6. Hibiscus a tropical plant or bush with large brightly coloured flowers 7. Sunflower a very tall plant with large yellow flowers, grown in gardens or
for its seeds and their oil that are used in cooking
8. Lily a large white or brightly coloured flower with petals that curl back from the centre. There are many types of lily
9. Lotus a tropical plant with white or pink flowers that grows on the surface of lakes in Africa and Asia
10. Dahlia a large brightly coloured garden flower, often shaped like a ball 11. Chrysanthemum a large, brightly coloured garden flower that is shaped like a
ball and made up of many long narrow petals
12. Lilac a bush or small tree with purple or white flowers with a sweet smell that grow closely together in the shape of a cone 13. Lavender a garden plant or bush with bunches of purple flowers with a
sweet smell
14. Azalea a plant or bush with large flowers that may be pink, purple, white or yellow, grown in a pot or in a garden
15. Daisy a small wild flower with white petals around a yellow centre; a taller plant with similar but larger flowers
16. Poppy a wild or garden plant, with a large delicate flower that is usually red, and small black seeds. Opium is obtained from one type of poppy
17. Alyssum one of several types of plant. Some types, with small white, blue, or pink flowers, are common in gardens.
18. Iris a tall plant with long pointed leaves and large purple or yellow flowers
19. Violet a small wild or garden plant with purple or white flowers with a sweet smell that appear in spring
20. Aster a garden plant that has pink, purple, blue or white flowers with many long narrow petals
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Picture taken from OALD online
The definition defined by OALD Online, the consistency can be seen clearly by the way the lexicographer defines the flower’s names. Some of the flowers above are defined as plants but some are defined as flowers. Having this phenomenon, the researchers grouped the flowers that defined as flowers and plants in different table to elucidate the distiction.
Table 1.2: List of Flowers which are defined as flower
No. Flowers Definition
1. Rose a flower with a sweet smell that grows on a bush 2. Tulip a large, brightly coloured spring flower, shaped like 3. Bougainvillea a tropical climbing plant with red, purple, white or 4. Daisy a small wild flower with white petals around a
yellow centre; a taller plant with similar but larger flowers
5. Lily a large white or brightly coloured flower with petals that curl back from the centre. There are many types of lily
6. Dahlia a large brightly coloured garden flower, often 7. Chrysanthemum a large, brightly coloured garden flower that is
shaped like a ball and made up of many long narrow petals
No. Flowers Definition
1. Jasmine a plant with white or yellow flowers with a sweet smell, 2. Orchid a plant with brightly coloured flowers of unusual shapes.
There are many different types of orchid and some of them 3. Hibiscus a tropical plant or bush with large brightly coloured 4. Sunflower a very tall plant with large yellow flowers, grown in
gardens or for its seeds and their oil that are used in 5. Lotus a tropical plant with white or pink flowers that grows on 6. Lilac a bush or small tree with purple or white flowers with a
sweet smell that grow closely together in the shape of a 7. Lavender a garden plant or bush with bunches of purple flowers with 8. Azalea a plant or bush with large flowers that may be pink, purple, 9. Poppy a wild or garden plant, with a large delicate flower that is
usually red, and small black seeds. Opium is obtained from 10. Alyssum one of several types of plant. Some types, with small 11. Iris a tall plant with long pointed leaves and large purple or 12. Violet a small wild or garden plant with purple or white flowers 13. Aster a garden plant that has pink, purple, blue or white flowers
Table 1.3: List of flowers which are defined as plant