Abstract
<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>The present chapter provides an overview of the current state of the lexicographic description of varieties of English, with a focus on dictionaries of second‐language varieties. Three contexts are highlighted that represent different degrees of coverage, that is, Indian English (with an exceptionally long and substantial history of lexicographic description), Nigerian English (with a reasonably advanced state of coverage), and Hong Kong English (with initial lexicographic accounts). Recent dictionaries of these three varieties are presented as examples of the scope and the general design of variety dictionaries. They also illustrate that variety dictionaries may contribute innovative elements to general lexicography. A further objective of the present chapter is to point to the actual and potential usefulness of dictionaries of second‐language varieties in various respects. Here, interactions of lexicographic work with the broader analysis of world Englishes are exemplified, as well as the relevance of such dictionaries for educational purposes and their symbolic meaning for the speech community they strive to represent.</jats:p>