Functional trade-offs in bilingual lexicography : a theory-based criticism of Aquilina's Maltese–English dictionary

Abstract

This article presents a theory-based criticism of Aquilina's Maltese–English Dictionary (AMED), the most authoritative bilingual dictionary in Maltese lexicography. Grounded in Function Theory, it evaluates AMED in relation to communicative and cognitive functions, with particular attention to the interaction between structure, access, and lexicographic information costs. Methodologically, the study combines Tarp's (2017) model of dictionary criticism with Nielsen's (2009) framework of significant features and information costs. Drawing on a systematically con structed sample, it analyses AMED's dictionary concept, structural design, and functional performance across text production, reception, proofreading, translation, and cognitive consultation. The findings show that AMED's authority rests primarily on its cognitive strengths, including encyclopaedic scope, morphological coherence, and historical depth. At the same time, elevated search related and comprehension-related information costs reduce its effectiveness in punctual communicative use. These limitations arise not from a lack of information, but from its structural organisation. More specifically, they reflect an implicit, historically grounded polyfunctional concept that prioritises documentary completeness over functional differentiation. By making these trade-offs explicit, the article contributes to theory-based dictionary criticism and demonstrates how functional analysis can provide explanatory insight into uneven lexicographic performance. It also offers implications for the design of future Maltese–English lexicographic resources better aligned with contemporary user needs.