342 Outside Matter in Igbo Dictionaries Juliana Mgbechikwere Okeke Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State julieokeke80@yahoo.com Abstract The outside matter is a major concept in lexicography. It is a cover term for all the components of a dictionary which are not part of the central word-list but are of great significance to the dictionary user. The importance of the outside matter has been grossly overlooked by most writers and users of Igbo dictionaries. This has resulted in poorly written outside matter and an underuse of the information provided. Several works have been done, by various authors, on Igbo lexicography, but none has really addressed the concept of outside matter in its entirety. This study looks at the outside matter of two Igbo-English (bilingual) dictionaries and one English (monolingual) dictionary. The dictionaries are considered research objects, and the data for this study are collected from the outside matter of the three dictionaries. The theoretical framework adopted for this study is ‘standard over form’ proposed by Nielsen in 2011. This framework provides the principles and criteria for proper analysis and evaluation of dictionary outside matter, to identify its strengths and weaknesses. The analysis of the data reveals that the Igbo-English dictionaries do not provide the required information for a dictionary outside matter. Basically, the obligatory contents (preface and user’s guide) which are the most essential elements of a dictionary outside matter are lacking in them, while the non- obligatory contents they provide are inadequate. This study recommends the development of adequate outside matter Awka Journal of Linguistics and Languages, Special Edition 1, 2022 343 information for future Igbo dictionaries of any type (monolingual, bilingual, LSP) and awareness on its importance to the users. Key Words: Lexicography, Outside Matter, Dictionary, Igbo 1. Introduction The outside matter is a major concept in lexicography. It is a cover term for all the components of a dictionary, which are not part of the central word-list. It is one of the major components of a dictionary, though not part of the lemma list; it contains information that aids the dictionary user to easily access and retrieve different types of information from the dictionary. The outside matter provides information about the dictionary, and a guide on how to use it, among other things. The functions of a dictionary are mostly achievable through the provision of adequate outside matter texts. Without a well-written outside matter, the user of a bilingual dictionary may find it difficult to interpret some dictionary entries, and others who are new to the dictionary may have the challenge of retrieving needed information as quickly as possible. The whole idea of a good dictionary refers to how the dictionary enables users to access and retrieve needed information with ease. This can only be made possible through adequate outside matter texts for the intended user group, guided by the purpose or function of the dictionary. The importance of the outside matter has been grossly overlooked by most dictionary writers and users. Some writers, especially of Igbo dictionaries do not provide adequate information needed in the outside matter of their dictionaries. Yet on the other hand, most users do not also understand the importance of the outside matter and the information it provides. Probably, they may not read through the information in the outside matter, or they do so in haste such that the information does not serve its purpose. Several works have been Outside Matters in Igbo Dictionaries - Okeke 344 done on different aspects of Igbo lexicography by various authors and linguists including: Oweleke (2007, 2008 and 2013), Ugochukwu (2008), Ajunwa (2009), Uchechukwu (2011a and b), Uchechukwu and Oweleke (2015) and others. All the works cited above and many more have contributed immensely to the development of Igbo lexicography, but none has been done explicitly on the outside matter of Igbo Dictionaries. The work by Uchechukwu (2011a) ‘Foreign Culture Lexicography and Beyond: Perspectives from the History of Igbo Lexicography’ addresses the notion of target audience in Igbo dictionaries, stating the need for Igbo dictionaries by native speakers to shift from the point of European audience and generalized audience towards internal audience who should be the native speakers of Igbo language. The ‘target audience’ which is a major point in Uchechukwu (2011a) is only one of the required information that should be contained in the preface (an obligatory content) of a dictionary outside matter. On this note, this study is set to fill the gap on the study of the entire outside matter of some Igbo dictionaries on which no earlier work has been done. This study is focused on identifying what the required content of outside matter of a dictionary should be and this purpose shall be achieved through:  Identifying what the ideal contents of a dictionary outside matter should be – the obligatory contents and the non- obligatory contents.  Reviewing the outside matter of the dictionaries under this study to see how much of the ideal contents or information they provide. Awka Journal of Linguistics and Languages, Special Edition 1, 2022 345  Identifying and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the outside matter of the various dictionaries under this study and drawing a conclusion on them.  Identifying the extent to which the information in the outside matter of each dictionary relates to its function or type. There are quite a number of bilingual Igbo dictionaries, beginning with the work of T.J. Dennis in 1923, Dictionary of the Ibo Language: English-Ibo. Presently there are both printed and a few online Igbo dictionaries by various authors. However, this study is centered on the outside matter of two out of all the bilingual (Igbo-English) printed dictionaries and one English monolingual dictionary. The three are all learner’s dictionaries - a dictionary type that is of general purpose in nature, but designed specifically for learners of the language or languages involved. The two Igbo-English dictionaries are authored by Igwe (1999), and Eke (2001), while the monolingual English learner’s dictionary is Hornby (2000), (Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary of English 6th Edition), to be referred to in this work as Hornby (2000) OALD 6th Edition. The choice of the three dictionaries for this study is not just related to space constraint for this paper and the three being learner’s dictionaries, but also because they are all authored within the same time bracket (late 1990s and early 2000). The rest of this paper discusses the subject matter as follows: section 2 is on literature review, while section 3 is focused on methodology and theoretical framework. Section 4 shows the presentation and analysis of data. Finally section 5 is the summary and conclusion on the study. Outside Matters in Igbo Dictionaries - Okeke 346 2. Literature Review This section reviews the literature on outside matter, its nature and components, in addition to some empirical works on the outside matter of dictionaries. The Outside Matter and Its Components Outside Matter is also known as outer texts in some literature. Svensen (2009:76) describes it as those other more or less obligatory dictionary components which occur before or after the lemma list. Brangel (2015:99) looks at it as the component of a dictionary consisting of external texts which do not belong to the dictionary entries. However, although the texts do not belong to the dictionary entries, they are not arbitrarily chosen. That is the reason Gouws (2014:74) opines that the nature and the extent of the functions of a dictionary play a decisive role in the selection and presentation of its outside matter. In other words, the purpose of a dictionary should determine the data type and the way it is presented in the outside matter. Components of the outside matter according to their location in the dictionary are discussed below. Front Matter The front matter of a dictionary refers to those texts that occur before the dictionary entries or central word-list. They provide information on the purpose of the dictionary and a guide to its use. Wang (2012:68) sees the front matter like a doorman that leads the learner as he or she walks into the “foreign world” of the new language. According to Brangel (2015:99) the front matter, which is the introductory part of the dictionary, should attend to two main functions: i) to present the objectives of the dictionary and ii) to be an instruction manual for the user. Mafela’s (2014) view is that the Awka Journal of Linguistics and Languages, Special Edition 1, 2022 347 front matter plays a dominant role in guiding users towards the use of a dictionary and serves as a users’ style guide. The front matter content, based on Singh’s (2010) position may include some or all of the following: cover design, title page with information on the editor(s), publication and publisher; table of contents, introduction or preface, explanation of the innovations and characteristics of the edition concerned, outlining the editorial principles followed in the work, the user’s guide, general information about the language (and its grammar in some cases), map of the dialect to locate the area (if it is a dialectal dictionary), list of abbreviations used in the dictionary, brief note on the orthography (useful for standardization of orthography), explanations of the transcription used, introduction to the manner and method of pronunciation used. However, Hausmann and Wiegand (2003:210–212) explain that the only component of the outside matter viewed as obligatory is the text which provides explanations on the use of the dictionary, which is the user’s guide, normally located in the front matter. It can also be assumed that the user’s guide and the preface are essential parts of the front matter of a dictionary. This is because of the importance of the information usually located in them. The preface and the user’s guide are considered very important parts of the front matter of any dictionary type, although some authors consider the user’s guide more obligatory. Based on the assertion of Svensen (2009: 380), a preface should provide a coherent account of the general features of a dictionary. Such information should include the purpose of the dictionary, intended user group, general approach, and organization and scope of the dictionary. It should be more of descriptive information, which should also explain the design and approach adopted in the dictionary including the principles of selection and the source of data used in the dictionary. Outside Matters in Igbo Dictionaries - Okeke 348 Also, a bibliography of metalexicographic literature may be provided, and a list of persons involved in the dictionary project. The user’s guide, on the other hand, is that component of the dictionary which provides the user with information on the use of the dictionary, and how to retrieve information effectively. Mafela (2014) is of the view that the main object of the user’s guide is to inform the user, as explicitly as possible, of the kind of information contained in the dictionary, how the information should be interpreted and where the different kinds of information can be found. He cites Landau (1984:116) who opines that the users’ guide provides clues for locating, as quickly as possible, particular items of information, in addition to explaining the structure and content of the different lexical entries, such as pronunciation of words, use of prefixes and suffixes, use of diacritics, formation of plural forms, derivation of words, finding idiomatic expressions and proverbs, and identifying parts of speech. The user’s guide in most modern day dictionaries are often presented using different colours and eye- catching schemes. Kirkpatrick (1989:756), cited in Karpinska (2012), opines that the design of more attractive presentation of the vital information about the dictionary might take significantly less time to absorb than elegant, discursive prose. However, the scholar also notes that dictionary users are reluctant to consult the front matter, even less the back matter. Middle Matter The middle matter refers to those items that are inserted in-between the dictionary entries to provide extra information on the entries themselves but they are not part of the entries. They break up the alphabetical order of words and provide extra information which includes pictures and other illustrations. They are described by Hausmann and Wiegand (2003) as comprising those immediate Awka Journal of Linguistics and Languages, Special Edition 1, 2022 349 constituents of the whole dictionary text which are inserted in the central word list but which are not part of the word list. It comprises all the information interposed between entries (Brangel 2015:100). Back Matter The back matter refers to the group of texts or information that is located after the dictionary entries. They are not part of the dictionary entries but they provide useful information to the user. Singh (2010:4) opines that the back matter of a dictionary might contain both linguistic and encyclopedic information, depending on the size and scope of the dictionary. Karpinska (2012:59) explains that the front matter and the back matter may contain very different components. Most of the non-obligatory components can navigate among the two positions, for instance, the list of abbreviations can appear in the front matter in one dictionary and in the back matter in another. Nielsen (2011:217) notes that several information, or distinct data types should not be lumped together in one part of the outside matter. In other words, the information and data types that are represented in the outside matter of a dictionary should be adequately spread out, some in the front matter, in the middle matter, and others in the back matter. He adds that every important information that is needful to aid the dictionary user should be presented in the outside matter, avoiding ambiguity. Outside Matter / User’s Guide in Bilingual Dictionaries Mafela (2014:2) explains that outside matter (users’ style guides) vary from one dictionary to another, and is necessary in all types of dictionaries, but more so in bilingual dictionaries. This is because a bilingual dictionary is mostly used by learners of a particular language he says. Adding that without a user’s guide, learners may find it difficult to find and interpret the meaning of lexical entries in Outside Matters in Igbo Dictionaries - Okeke 350 bilingual dictionaries. It could also make it difficult for learners of the language, and users, who are new to the dictionary look-up operations, to retrieve the required information as quickly as possible. Mafela further observes that most of the currently available bilingual dictionaries contain very little information in the outside matter (users’ style guide) and some do not have a guide for users at all. However, bilingual dictionaries are important tools for learning a language. The absence of a user’s guide may render the dictionary not user-friendly to learners of the language says Mafela. He cites Atkins and Rundell (2008), who identify different texts that can be found in the user’s guide of a bilingual dictionary to include provisions for headwords and meaning, information on items that have no direct target language equivalence, and how to deal with abbreviations and their full forms. Other pieces of information that should be included or explained in the user’s guide of bilingual dictionaries for indigenous African languages as explained by Gouws (2014:3) include: location of the language involved, possibly including the distribution of the population of the language(s), pronunciation and orthography in the indigenous African language, the use of affixes and formation of plurals, abbreviations and their full-forms, the use of diacritics, where they are obtainable in the particular language. There should be an explanation on how to find words with diacritics in the dictionary, dialects – where there are differences in the orthography of the different dialects which may be confusing to the dictionary user, order of arrangement of idiomatic expressions in the dictionary. Issues in the Classification of Outside Matter Components Apart from the general view on the components of the outside matter based on their location in the dictionary, namely, front matter, middle matter and back matter, there are also scholars and Awka Journal of Linguistics and Languages, Special Edition 1, 2022 351 lexicographers who have come up with other ways of classifying the outside matter components. Some of the classifications identified are: simple and complex composition outside matter, proposed by Karpinska (2012). Integrated and non-integrated components by Gouws & Prinsloo (2005), classification based on function, by Svensen (2009), and classifications based on knowledge oriented and communication oriented function by Gouws (2004), as well as primary and complex outside matter texts. However, the generally known and accepted classification of outside matter according to location, which is front matter, middle matter and back matter is adopted for this study. A Brief Look at the Empirical A brief look at the review and analysis of the outside matter of different dictionary types including monolingual, bilingual dictionaries, Languages for Special Purpose (LSP) dictionaries, online dictionaries, and a dictionary with knowledge-oriented function by authors like Brangel (2015); Wang (2012); Chabata and Nkomo (2010); Fernandez and Cormier (2010); Ellendersen (2007), and Klosa and Gouws (2015) reveal that different authors adopt different strategies, approaches and theoretical frameworks to suit their kind of study. They involve identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the outside matter of a dictionary or dictionaries under each review and pointing them out in the analysis. They have been basically descriptive in nature. 3. Methodology/Theoretical Framework The dictionary is considered a research object; therefore, the data for this study was collected from the three dictionaries through a thorough study of the outside matter of each of the dictionaries. The data presentation begins with a brief description of the general style Outside Matters in Igbo Dictionaries - Okeke 352 adopted by each author(s), followed by a tabular summary presentation of the outside matter content of each dictionary. The second stage is the evaluation of data using the theoretical framework (Substance Over Form). The theoretical framework adopted for this study is the ‘Substance over Form’ approach proposed in Nielsen (2011). It is an approach which focuses on what type of data actually exists in a given section of a dictionary, how they are accessed, presented and how they support the functions of the dictionary. The author believes that “dictionary reviews should not be merely descriptive, but should contain thorough analyses, evaluation and reflection of their object”; therefore, he proposes the ‘substance over form’ approach with its principles based on his previous work and that of other renowned lexicographers like Herberg (1989), Nielsen (1994: 88-93; 1995: 168-169), Chan and Taylor (2001:168), Kirkpatrick (1989) and Nielsen (2005:2006). 4. Data Presentation/Analysis Igwe (1999) Igbo-English Dictionary The entire contents of the outside matter of Igwe (1999) Igbo – English dictionary are located at the front matter and made up of fifty eight (58) pages. The dictionary according to the author is a scholarly and scientific book which combines in one volume a grammar book and a dictionary of Igbo. What is considered the outside matter therefore, does not just contain what can be regarded as the typical outside matter information of a dictionary but a grammar book with other types of information that are not integrated into the dictionary entries. Awka Journal of Linguistics and Languages, Special Edition 1, 2022 353 Table 1: Summary of the Outside Matter of Igwe (1999) Igbo- English Dictionary Front Matter (58 pages) Midd le Matte r Back Matt er Available Nil Nil Concept Content Brief Explanation Purpose and Need 1. Purpose 2. Need  A two in one book- (Gramma r book and Dictionar y)  To serve students and learners of Igbo (Igbo and non- Igbo). Preparatio n Process 1. Orthogra phy  Discusses official orthograp hy Outside Matters in Igbo Dictionaries - Okeke 354 2. Phonolo gy 3. Tonal Notation 4. Syllable Structur e  Explained with examples  States the Igbo tonal notation which is adopted for the dictionary entries  The syllable structure of Igbo is explained with examples. Grammati cal Issues 1. Gramma r  Verbs: classificat ions - infinitive, gerundial, participle, aorist.  Noun: classificat ion – by tone, derived Awka Journal of Linguistics and Languages, Special Edition 1, 2022 355 and underived  Adjective s, adverbs, idiophone s, suffixes and numbers Human Resource/ Funding 1. Author 2. Funding  Rev. Dr. G Egemba Igwe  Oxford Universit y Press Eke (2001) Igbo-English Dictionary (Qkqwa Okwu) The outside matter of Eke’s (2001) dictionary is made up of a front matter and a middle matter. The front matter is contained in thirteen (13) pages with few contents, while the middle matter is made up of illustrations by way of the use of pictures on some pages. The contents of the outside matter of this dictionary include dedication, foreword, introduction, abbreviation list, appreciation, Igbo orthography (mkpuruedemede Igbo), parts of speech (Nkejiasusu) and, spellings (nsupe ndi a), no back matter. Table 2: Summary of the Outside Matter of Eke (2001) Igbo-English Dictionary Outside Matters in Igbo Dictionaries - Okeke 356 Front Matter (13 pages) Middle Matter Bac k Mat ter Available Availabl e Nil Concept Content Brief Explanation Brief Explana tion Purpose and Need 1. Purpo se 2. Need  Diction ary based on Standar d Igbo  Student s of seconda ry and tertiary instituti ons  Lovers of Igbo who desire to learn the languag e Illustrati ons: pictures placed randoml y with the names of the items written in Igbo and English. Some placed close to the lemma they are illustrati ng. Awka Journal of Linguistics and Languages, Special Edition 1, 2022 357 Preparation Process 1. Ortho graph y 2. Parts of speec h 3. Spelli ngs  Represe ntation of the Igbo alphabe ts, vowels, conson ants and diagrap hs.  A list of 37 of them with their English equival ents.  A list of 118 words with their English equival ents Grammatica l Issues Nil Nil Outside Matters in Igbo Dictionaries - Okeke 358 Human Resource/Fu nding 1. Autho r 2. Fundi ng Nze Dr Julius Ginger Eke Not stated Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary 6th Edition The outside matter of Hornby (2000), OALD 6th edition is made up of information and data at the three locations of the front matter, middle matter and back matter. The front matter information is contained in fourteen (14) pages including the inside front cover. Its content is discussed and arranged under different headings which include: abbreviations and grammar labels, symbols, labels (used in the dictionary), key to verb patterns, table of contents, preface, key to dictionary entries (user’s guide), understanding definitions, numbers and lastly, symbols. The preface provides information on the function of the dictionary, which is text reception and production. It also states that the dictionary is designed for the learning of English language. Therefore, it is designed to support the needs of learners who are designated in the fourth paragraph as ‘less experienced learners’ and ‘most advanced learners’. Table 3: Summary of the Outside Matter of Hornby (2000) OALD 6th Edition Front Matter (14 pages) Middle Matter (In sections ) Back Matter (33 pages) Availabl e Availab le Availabl e Awka Journal of Linguistics and Languages, Special Edition 1, 2022 359 Concept Content Brief Comment Purpose and Need 1. Purpos e 2. Need  Text recept ion and produ ction  Learn ers (less experi enced and advan ced learne rs Preparati on Process 1. Source of lemma 2. Abbrev iations and gramm  The ‘defin ing vocab ulary (unde r 3000 words )  As used in the Section I: Pictures and names of equipm ents. Section II: Illustrat ion pages Appendi x I: Irregular verbs Appendi x II: Geograp hical names Appendi x III: Numbers Outside Matters in Igbo Dictionaries - Okeke 360 ar labels 3. Symbol s and labels 4. Key to verb pattern 5. Key to diction ary entries 6. Underst anding definiti ons dictio nary  As used in the dictio nary  A guide for using the dictio nary  With illustr ations on how to use the dictio nary  Helpi ng the user to under stand defini with pictures and names of the items in British and Americ an English. Section III: Langua ge study. Practica l topics in the learning and use of English. Section IV: Maps Notes on usage with illustrati Appendi x IV: Punctuat ions Appendi x V: Languag e of literary criticism Appendi x VI: Notes on usage Appendi x VII: Defining vocabula ry Awka Journal of Linguistics and Languages, Special Edition 1, 2022 361 7. Numbe rs and symbol s tions with ease  As used in the dictio nary and for gener al knowl edge ons in boxes located on differen t pages. Gramma tical Issues 1. Key to verb patterns 2. Gramm ar in the entries  How differ ent forms of verb are prese nted in the dictio nary entrie s  How gram matic Irregular Verbs: Showing a list of all verbs with irregular forms in the dictionar y, except those with hyphenat ed prefix. Outside Matters in Igbo Dictionaries - Okeke 362 al class of lemm as are indica ted Human Resourc e and Funding 1. Author 2. Adviso ry Board 3. Editors: a. Chi ef Edit or b. Sen ior Edit or c. Pho neti c Edit or A.S. Hornby Six (6) members Sally Wehmeier Diana Lea Michael Ashby Joanna Florio Dilys Parkinson Oxford University Press Awka Journal of Linguistics and Languages, Special Edition 1, 2022 363 d. Edit ors 4. Funding Looking at tables 1 and 2 above, the two Igbo bilingual dictionaries do not have adequate distribution of their outside matter information into the three locations of front, middle and back matter as identified by this study. Igwe (1999) has all its outside matter information lumped together in the front matter, no middle matter, no back matter. This is contrary to the generally acceptable standard by various lexicographers that outside matter information should be spread into the three locations. Eke (2001) has front and middle matter with scanty and inadequate information, and no back matter. Hornby (2000) OALD 6th edition has a complete distribution of its outside matter information into front matter, middle matter and back matter. The next section provides a further analysis of the dictionaries’ outside matter using substance over form. Substance Over Form Analysis of the Dictionaries’ Outside Matter a. The Obligatory Components of the Dictionaries’ Outside Matter The obligatory components of a dictionary outside matter are the preface and the user’s guide. These are discussed below as identified in the various dictionaries’ outside matter.  The Preface and User’ Guides i. The Preface Outside Matters in Igbo Dictionaries - Okeke 364 There is a section designated ‘preface’ in the front matter of Igwe (1999) Igbo-English dictionary. However, it does not provide information on the function of the dictionary, its subject field, the target group neither does it provide information on the empirical basis of the dictionary. It is simply a self-introduction of the author’s motivation for the production of the dictionary. It gives background information on the author’s contributions to the development of the Igbo language and contains an aspect of acknowledgement. It concludes with a wish that the dictionary will meet the needs of Igbo and non-Igbo, who are interested in the Igbo language. The outside matter of Eke (2001) Igbo-English Dictionary (Okowa Okwu) has no preface, the only related information to the preface is found on page vi of the front matter without any heading. In that single paragraph information, the author states that the dictionary is meant for Secondary and Commercial Schools, Colleges of Education, and Candidates for SSCE/GCE, Masters Degree and others. He adds that it is also helpful to lovers of Igbo language who are desirous to learn the language. The preface of Hornby (2000) OALD 6th edition provides information on the function of the dictionary, which is text reception and production. It is also stated that the dictionary is designed for the learning of the English language. Therefore, it is designed to support the needs of learners who are designated in the fourth paragraph as ‘less experienced learners’ and ‘most advanced learners’. It also provides information on empirical basis of the dictionary by stating in paragraph three of the preface that the definitions are written using a defining-vocabulary of under 300 words. Awka Journal of Linguistics and Languages, Special Edition 1, 2022 365  Summary on Preface The two Igbo bilingual dictionaries are deficient in the provision of adequate preface based on the ‘Substance Over Form’ evaluation. Igwe (1999) has a section titled preface, but the content does not provide what is required of a dictionary preface. It does not provide answers to the evaluation questions. Eke (2001) has no preface, the only preface-related information on its outside matter is on the target group found on an untitled single paragraph write up on one of the pages. The preface of Hornby (2000) OALD 6th edition adequately answers all the evaluation questions as proposed by ‘Substance Over Form’. It states the function of the dictionary, its subject field, the target group, as well as the empirical basis of the dictionary. Therefore, it can be considered an adequate example of a dictionary preface which is usually located at the front matter. ii. The User’s Guides Based on the definitions of a user’s guide and its contents as described by lexicographers such as Karpinska 2012, Svensen 2009, Kirkpatrick 1987, Mafela 2014, and using the evaluation questions provided by ‘Substance over Form’ approach, it is clear that the two Igbo-English (bilingual) dictionaries under this study do not have user’s guides. There are no such designated sections that provide information on types of data available in the dictionary and where they can be found; how best a user can access data for text production or text reception when using the dictionary; how the data in different sections of the dictionary can complement the data in the lemma list, and types of data that can best serve for various user situations. The User’s Guide of Hornby (2000) OALD 6th Edition, titled ‘Key to Dictionary Entries’, gives explicit guide on the types of data Outside Matters in Igbo Dictionaries - Okeke 366 available in the dictionary, how and where to find them, and how to use them. This is done with practical illustrations showing how these data types are reflected in the dictionary entries, to grant the user easy access to the data or information. This is done under four different subheadings, which are: finding the word, finding the meaning, using the word, and building your vocabulary. In summary, it can be said that the preface and the user’s guide which are the most relevant and in fact, the obligatory components of the outside matter of a dictionary, are lacking in the two Igbo- English (bilingual) dictionaries under this study. On the other hand, Hornby (2000) OALD 6th edition has provided a perfect example of what the preface and user’s guide of a learner’s dictionary should contain. The contents of this user’s guide serve as confirmation that the dictionary is a tool for language learning. The comparison is summarized in table 4 below. Table 4: Comparison of the Obligatory Components in the Dictionaries’ Outside Matter Dictionaries and Authors/ Nielsen’s Obligatory Components Igwe (1999) Igbo-English Eke (2001) Igbo- English Hornby (2000)OALD 6th Edition Preface Available, but not adequate (no required information) Not available Available and adequate User’s Guide Not available, but Not available Available and adequate Awka Journal of Linguistics and Languages, Special Edition 1, 2022 367 partial information The Non-obligatory Components of the Dictionaries’ Outside Matter There are some other possible contents of a dictionary outside matter which have been designated non-obligatory. Some of them that are represented in the dictionaries are discussed as follows: Igwe (1999) makes an extensive discussion on Igbo grammatical class, provides a list of abbreviations and a brief note on the orthography but does not show how it applies to the dictionary entries. Eke (2001) only presents a list of abbreviations, the orthography of Igbo language and a list on parts of speech without any comment or explanation attached. On the other hand, the non- obligatory contents of Hornby (2000) OALD 6th edition are designed to enhance the learning of English language, which is the function of the dictionary. They therefore meet the needs of the target users. These non-obligatory contents are also spread across different parts of the dictionary (front, middle and back matter) 5. Summary and Conclusion This study was centered on the outside matter of two Igbo-English (bilingual) dictionaries and one English (monolingual) dictionary. It sorts to analyze and evaluate the outside matter of each of the dictionaries according to the identified required contents of a dictionary outside matter. The result of the evaluation reveals that the two Igbo-English (bilingual) dictionaries do not provide adequate outside matter information, and the available information types are not distributed to the appropriate locations. Igwe (1999) lumped all the outside Outside Matters in Igbo Dictionaries - Okeke 368 matter contents in the front matter, while Eke’s (2001) outside matter information is scanty and located in the front and middle matter only. Again, in evaluating the contents of the outside matter of each of the dictionaries using “Substance Over Form’ approach, it was established that the two Igbo-English (bilingual) dictionaries do not provide the required obligatory contents (the preface and the user’s guide) of a dictionary, which is of great importance to the user, while Hornby (2000) OALD 6th edition does. With regard to the non-obligatory contents, the two Igbo-English dictionaries have some non-obligatory contents, though not perfectly adequate for the outside matter of a bilingual learner’s dictionary. Nevertheless, some of them are relevant. The non- obligatory contents of Hornby (2000) OALD 6th edition are adequate and commendable as a guide for developing non- obligatory contents of a learner’s dictionary. The weaknesses of the outside matter of the Igbo-English dictionaries lie in their inability to provide the required obligatory contents for a bilingual learner’s dictionary. Secondly, the non- obligatory contents were not selected to suit the dictionary types and the target audience; some of them are not integrated into the dictionary entries. Thirdly, the contents are not well designed and evenly distributed to the three locations of a dictionary outside matter. However, their strengths are that they have some non- obligatory contents which are integrated into the dictionary entries. Recommendations From the above findings this study proposes that a standard pattern for writing outside matter in Igbo dictionaries be adopted and awareness created on its importance to the users. This paper Awka Journal of Linguistics and Languages, Special Edition 1, 2022 369 therefore recommends the following steps to facilitate this much needed improvement: The obligatory contents – preface and user’s guide should statutorily be located at the front matter and provide information as follows: a) The preface should provide information on the target audience, source of lemma and function(s) of the dictionary b) The user’s guide should contain information that will enable the user in the following ways: show how to access different data types with ease when using the dictionary. Explain data types that are found in the dictionary and at what locations in the dictionary they can be found. Discover how information at different sections of the outside matter relates to, complement or supplement the data in the wordlist. Understand how data at different sections of the dictionary can be used for various situations. Non-obligatory contents are usually selected based on the dictionary type, its function and the target audience. They can navigate between the front and back matter. Several suggestions have been made on what the non-obligatory information should be for an African language dictionary of any type. They may include: Pronunciation and orthography, the use of affixes, list of abbreviations and their full-form, an explanation on how to find words with diacritics, order of arrangement of idiomatic expressions and proverbs, information on words that have no direct translation etc. The middle matter should provide additional in-between-entries information that give further insight into understanding of the dictionary entries. They can take the form of pictures and specially designed short notes, but need to be orderly and systematically arranged. The back matter information should be designed with data that is relevant to the African environment, or more specifically the Outside Matters in Igbo Dictionaries - Okeke 370 Igbo culture and environment, these will further promote the task of language learning which a dictionary is set to achieve. Awareness on the importance of dictionary outside matter is needful, and deliberate effort in that direction would be necessary. The outside matter texts can be designed with eye-catching characters, fonts and colours. The data may also be presented in form of illustrations that will be easy to understand, instead of long prose that will require much reading. Secondly, lessons on ‘Appropriate Dictionary Use: Beginning with the Outside Matter’ can be introduced in our institutions of learning, right from the Basic Education level (Primary School). Through such knowledge, children will grow with the culture of studying the outside matter of dictionaries, which will make dictionary use for data retrieval and language learning an enjoyable exercise. References Atkins, Beryl T. and Rundell, Michael 2008. The Oxford Guide to Practical Lexicography. Oxford; New York: Oxford University Press Brangel, Larissa M. 2015. Review of Oxford Primary Dictionary. Eurasian Journal of Applied Linguistics 1(2) 2015: 99-102. Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. www.ejal.eu Chabata, Emmanuel and Nkomo, Dion 2010. 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