Gammeldansk Ordbog – fortid og fremtid

Abstract

The article describes the dictionary project Dictionary of Old Danish (Gammeldansk
Ordbog) cf. www.dsl.dk/go. The dictionary’s editorial work is based on a citation slip
collection, and the article describes the compilation of this collection and emphasizes its
distinctive qualities. In particular the handwritten additions on the slips distinguish the
collection. The editorial board has considered how to make use of the knowledge
gathered in the collection even before the slips are edited, and the article describes two
possibilities: the recently completed project Study the Middle Ages on the Web (Studér
Middelalder på Nettet) cf. http://smn.dsl.dk, where text material from the Dictionary of
Old Danish has been used, and the planned digitisation of the collection, which,
combined with various search facilities, could be put on the web. Finally, the idea of
establishing a centre for medieval and renaissance studies under the auspices of the
Society for Danish Language and Literature (Det Danske Sprog- og Litteraturselskab) is
mentioned; such a centre would pull together DSL’s expertise in the field.