Part 1 Dictionaries and the dictionary: definitions; types of dictionaries. Part 2 The lexicographical scene of English-speaking countries: the lexicographical scene of the USA; the lexicographical scene of Great Britain; other English-speaking countries; new trends and old traditions in English-language lexicography. Part 3 The historical origins of the general-purpose dictionary: pre-history - the first dictionaries; monolingual dictionaries from the Renaissance to the 20th century. Part 4 General-purpose dictionaries and society: the functions of the general-purpose dictionary; the popular image of the general-purpose dictionary. Part 5 What are general-purpose dictionaries really for?: the study of reference needs; the skills of the dictionary user. Part 6 The linguistic traditions of lexicography: lexicographpy and linguistics; lexicographical traditions. Part 7 Whither lexicography?: lexicography and the study of idiomaticity; word meaning and lexicography.