Guarani words in lexicographical repertories: criteria, adaptations and challenges

Abstract

Paraguayan bilingualism, characterized by the coexistence of Guaraní and Spanish, influ-ences the lexicon of local Spanish. This study analyzes the incorporation of Guaraní words into the Dictionary of the Spanish Language and three specialized dictionaries compiled in Paraguay. Using a metalexographic approach, the types of words recorded, the adaptation procedures applied, etymological marking, and the definitional models employed are ex-amined. The results show that the compiled Guaraní words are concentrated in the fields of fauna and flora, with little presence in other areas. While the academic dictionary tends to adapt these words according to Spanish norms, the Paraguayan dictionaries tend to pre-serve graphic features characteristic of Guaraní, reflecting the country's bilingual reality. Inconsistencies were identified in the assignment of etymological information in all the works analyzed, suggesting the need to apply more consistent criteria in the lexicographical treatment of these words