Finderlists, computer generated, for bilingual dictionaries

This paper presents a method for generating finderlists—alphabetical indexes of headwords—for bilingual dictionaries using computer automation. Finderlists enhance dictionary usability by allowing users to locate entries efficiently, especially in languages with complex orthographies or non-standardized spelling. The authors describe the design and implementation of a software tool that extracts headwords from dictionary databases and formats them into printable lists. The approach supports multiple languages and character sets, ensuring broad applicability. Case studies demonstrate the tool’s effectiveness in producing accurate and accessible finderlists for dictionaries in endangered and lesser-studied languages. The paper highlights the role of computational methods in improving linguistic resource accessibility and supporting language documentation efforts (AI generated abstract, Copilot)