Claudius Hollyband: The author behind the lexicographer

Dictionaries are reference works to be consulted. But they can also be assessed as texts and interpreted. For this approach, which is based on a close reading of the entire lexicographical work, the term ‘lexicature’ has been suggested. The chapter takes the French–English dictionary compiled by the French Bourbonnais Huguenot Claudius Hollyband as a striking example of this new type of study. A number of criteria are identified which reveal the persona of the author behind his work. It is shown how the persona influences the description of the lexicon: in the preferences for word selection, the personal expertise or bias in the description of the meanings of words, and in the choice of examples illustrating the use of words.