Lexical resources in CALL

From the end-user's point of view machine readable dictionaries have clear advantages over conventional lexica in terms of ease and immediacy of access as well as selectivity and presentation of information. For the developer of other CALL applications readily available lexical modules which can be integrated into other programs save a considerable amount of time and add a new dimension to their application. The design of lexical resources presents a number of problems. Decisions must be made about the type of information provided and the form in which this informution is mude accessible to the developer of the host application and/or the end user. The dictionary's role in the learner's acquisition of vocabulary as opposed to its traditional function as a tool of reference is considered. To illustrate some of the possibilities and choices this paper discusses the design and implementation of such a lexicul resource for English learners of German. © 1994.