Methods of Explaining the Meaning in Syriac Dictionaries

Dictionaries have been of great importance in human life since ancient times, as they are considered a means of preserving the language and protecting it from loss. In addition, they are considered an important communication tool between the dictionary user and linguistic developments. Preserving the meanings of vocabulary within these dictionaries works to maintain the language and the possibility of benefiting from it in many fields. Among these languages is the Syriac language, in which dictionaries were one of the main reasons for the survival of this language. However, the production of these dictionaries requires many complex steps to reach the final product, and among these steps is explaining the meaning within the dictionaries. Explaining the meaning is considered one of the basic things that help in creating a solid dictionary that all its users rely on. Therefore, in this research, we will discuss the nature of explaining the meaning in dictionaries, the most important methods of explaining it, and the theories related to it, with an applied study on a group of Syriac dictionaries.