Analysis of explanations of meanings in Urdu Lughat: Tareekhi Usool Par

By Ameena Bibi, Assistant Prof, Department of Urdu, International Islamic University, Islamabad

Urdu Dictionary Board (UDB) has compiled and published Urdu’s most comprehensive dictionary, titled Urdu Lughat: Tareekhi Usool Par (Urdu Dictionary: on historical principles). While appreciating the monumental work, the author of this paper has pointed out certain lacuna in the way many of the entries in Urdu Lughat published by UDB are explained. The author has also compared the explanatory wordings in UDB’s dictionary with some other dictionaries of Urdu and has explained what and which is correct and what errors have been committed by UDB editors. Although she is all-praise for the work, she has objectively evaluated some portions of UDB’s dictionary in the light of lexicographic rules.