300 000 entries ("compound words"), 8 500 pages, 7 volumes. Includes 13
400 different single characters and their evolution through time.
The electronic conversion started in 1985. One of the editors admits :
one of our problems was to choose a software that supported French and
Chinese, we started too early for such a work.
A data entry or encoding error ("erreur d'informatique") at the start of
the project, costed 6 months of additional labour. 5000 copies
published, 40% of orders by US universities.
Does somebody know if they used Unicode?
--- More detail --- Press release from Descl�e de Brouwer (publisher)
The Grand dictionnaire Ricci de la langue chinoise is for sinologists
and comparatits interested in language origin in many respects. It is
also aimed at people with an inquiring mind, keen on learning Chinese
language. They will find in this Dictionary traditional etymologies,
evolution of characters and their meanings. Teachers, students,
translators, interpreters, linguists... will definitely appreciate this
tool.
The most famous names in French and world Sinology have been involved in
its preparation and revision. All the collaborators and coauthors are
French or French speaking scholars and Chinese. Some of them do have a
complete and subtle knowledge of their mother tongue, others are
specialists in lexicography. They have verified the exactness of the
translations and the appropriateness of the compounds choice, they have
also watched over the standardization of the writing norms and of the
overall consistency. The most famous names in sinology have proposed,
each one in his/her own specialization field, the best French
translations of the Chinese compounds.
Covering some 200 branches of knowledge (astronomy, aeronautics,
chemistry, biology, finance, law, philosophy, art, literature...), the
Grand dictionnaire Ricci de la langue chinoise constitutes a genuine
encyclopedia of the language, history, customs, culture and thought of
China from ancient times to the present day.
Single characters
It contains all the single characters of the Dictionnaire Ricci des
caract�res chinois (DDB - Institut Ricci, 1999).
Compounds
It contains 300,000 compounds or "Chinese words." Composed of two or
several characters, these "words" are the fabric of the Chinese
language. They reflect the state of the language as well as the state of
the fundamental vocabulary of each branch of knowledge and culture. They
are explained exactly and are richly translated. While they extensively
cover modern Chinese language, they also include historical and
technical aspects of Chinese knowledge and culture. The common language
is enhanced by thousands of locutions and proverbs. For all kinds of
specialized vocabulary, the expert in charge of the field has verified
the exactness and the appropriateness of the compounds choice and of
their translation. They are explained exactly and are richly translated.
While they extensively cover the modern Chinese language, they also
include historical and technical aspects of Chinese knowledge and culture.
Appendices and tables volume
Appendices and tables enable the user to locate characters into the
Grand dictionnaire Ricci de la langue chinoise according to the
different systems used to index the characters: correspondence tables
between different phonetic transcriptions, complete or simplified
characters. They offer additional access to the characters from
different approaches: classification by number of strokes, list of
characters having obscure radicals.
Chronological tables present the unfolding of History while the maps
throw light on the essential information about geography and historical
geography.
Appendices offer comprehensive presentation of the essential knowledge
about thought, culture and science of China (Book of Changes, the
Chinese calendar, the sexagesimal cycle, the thirteen classics and their
division into chapters, ancient Chinese music terminology, forms of
address within family, imperial official titles and their evolution
through the different dynasties...).
Its size, diversity and pertinence make the Ricci dictionary much richer
than any other work of this kind. This work is also unique in any
European language.
The publication of the Grand dictionnaire Ricci de la langue chinoise is
in line with the current inter-cultural movement to which the Chinese
spirit is very sensitive.
----------
http://www.liberation.fr/quotidien/semaine/020117-080001001LIVR.html
http://www.liberation.fr/quotidien/semaine/020117-080003002LIVR.html
http://www.descleedebrouwer.com/html/11.htm
http://www.descleedebrouwer.com/html/11_7.htm (list of experts)
To order:
http://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/ASIN/2220046672/402-6127361-1553728
(around 600 US $ for the set, only for Californians then?)
