D2. FLEx Entry-Level Fields

This lesson provides a comprehensive guide to entry-level fields in FLEx, explaining their purpose and how to enter data correctly. Here’s a summary:

Objective:

• Understand the function of entry-level fields in FLEx.

• Learn how to make fields visible/invisible and configure dictionary entries.

• Correctly input dialect labels, pronunciation, etymology, and other metadata.

Key Topics:

1. Overview of Entry-Level Fields

• FLEx contains predefined fields at different levels:

  • Entry-Level Fields – General information about the entry (before the first sense).

  • Sense-Level Fields – Meaning-specific details (covered in the next lesson).

• Previously introduced entry-level fields include:

  • Headword, Lexeme Form, Citation Form, Morpheme Type.

• Sense-level fields (e.g., Definition, Gloss, Grammatical Info, Examples) are introduced separately.

2. Managing Field Visibility

• Field Visibility Menu allows users to:

  • Show fields always, only when they contain data, or hide them.

• Show Hidden Fields checkbox overrides all visibility settings.

3. Key Entry-Level Fields

Dialect Labels

• Tags words by regional variations (e.g., Québecois, Cajun).

• Steps to add:

  1. Open New Entry and enter the lexeme.

  2. In Edit Pane, click Dialect Labels → Choose Label.

  3. If a dialect is missing, add it via the Dialect Labels list.

Pronunciation Cluster

• Stores phonetic details:

  1. Pronunciation (with optional audio file).

  2. CV Pattern (consonant-vowel structure).

  3. Tone & Stress (for tonal languages).

  4. Location (regional pronunciation differences).

• Steps to configure:

  1. Insert Pronunciation Cluster.

  2. Change the Writing System (e.g., select IPA).

  3. Enter the CV pattern and Tone (if relevant).

Etymology Cluster

• Tracks word origins with:

  1. Preceding Annotation (e.g., < borrowed from).

  2. Source Language (Old French, Latin, etc.).

  3. Source Form (earlier version of the word).

  4. Bibliographic Source (references for etymology).

• Steps to configure:

  1. Insert Etymology Cluster.

  2. Add Source Language & Source Form.

  3. Verify in Preview Pane.

Literal Meaning

• Used for compounds and idioms where the meaning differs from individual words.

  • Example: kick the bucket → Lit. to strike a container.

Bibliography

• Stores references to external sources relevant to the entry.

Restrictions

• Indicates semantic or grammatical limits (e.g., "used only for females").

Summary Definition

• Provides an overall definition covering all senses of a word.

Import Residue

• Stores unmapped data when importing from another lexicon.

Dates

• Records when the entry was created and last modified.

Messages (Collaboration)

• Used in Send/Receive projects to track:

  • Questions (e.g., "Is this really a verb?").

  • Conflicts (when two users edit the same entry).

  • Notifications (when both edits are kept).

4. Practical Activities

• Exercises include:

  • Adding dialect labels, pronunciation, and etymology.

  • Using the Summary Definition field.

  • Resolving collaboration conflicts in Send/Receive.

Completion:

• Includes hands-on practice and a quiz (80% passing score).

• Encourages applying these principles in real FLEx projects.

OpenAI. (2025). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com