The growth and characteristics of published Malay dictionaries and glossaries

This paper describes quantitatively the pattern of growth and characteristics of Malay dictionaries and glossaries published between 1631 and 1993. Dictionaries in the form of manuscripts and Indonesian dictionaries have been excluded. The total number of Malay dictionaries published is shown to be on the rise. A large proportion of those published are bilingual, trilingual, polyglotal and subject dictionaries. A detailed breakdown of each type of dictionary is shown. The total number and names of compilers and publishers who are actively involved in the publication of Malay dictionaries are also given. This paper also describes quantitatively the growth pattern of Malay lexicographical studies. The pattern is identified by examining the number of writings by the various authors and the core journals which actively cover this subject