Des considérations sur la lexicographie et la linguistique au Gabon *

Abstract

Gabon is a country with a linguistic diversity. The Gabonese constitution recognizes French as the only official language. Moreover, it endeavours to promote and protect the national languages. Lexicography, the discipline for the producing of dictionaries, and linguistics, the scientific study of language, both have a role to play in the promotion and protection of the national languages. To account for the necessity of this collaboration between lexicographers and linguists in Gabon, this article starts by presenting the linguistic situation in Gabon. Then aspects such as the contribution of the two disciplines of linguistics and lexicography to the development of the Gabonese languages, the collaboration between linguists and lexicographers and the question of Gabonese lexicographic units will be discussed.