Kernerman Dictionary News Number 15 July 2007
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ASIALEX now The Asian Association for
Lexicography (ASIALEX) was founded as the highlight of the Dictionaries in
Asia Conference held at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST,
1997). The organizers, Gregory James and Amy Chi, set up a preparatory
committee in 1996 to make all of the necessary arrangements, assisted by scholars
from As described by Amy Chi, [i]t was
hoped that ASIALEX would act as a focus for lexicographic development in For anyone attending these
events it was clear how vital ASIALEX can be for the fulfillment of local,
regional, and global needs and aspirations. In ten years of existence it has produced
and enjoyed astounding moments, but there are certainly a lot of pearls
buried under the hay, as goes the Chinese saying quoted at the time by Chi.
It still has to build itself as a lively, dynamic, democratic society run collectively
and routinely by the large body of its membership, in order to be able to realize
its full potential and goals. Meanwhile its operation is substantially subject
to individual good will and efforts, usually from above without enough
grassroots involved having no paid membership, regular elections, an active
board, or interactive networking. Now ASIALEX, as an Asia-wide
organization, exists mainly virtually. It comes alive once every two years
for an excellent meeting, a glittering torch handed over from one conference convener
to the next, though little flame in between. Can it be inspired to more? By all means. The Asian Association
for Lexicography is young, its spirit of heritage
and progress is infinite. Entering adolescence, its future maturity does not depend
on each local institute at its turn but on all of us all the time. As observed
by Amy Chi in summing up the founding role of the HKUST Language Centre ten
years ago, [i]n the long run, however, it will be the responsibility of
ASIALEX to remedy the situation. Ilan J. Kernerman
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