Lexicological department was founded at N. Marr Institute of Language, History and Material Culture (ILHMC) in 1936, May. Varlam Topuria was nominated as a head of the department. The point of the department was to write out materials from Il.Chavchavadze’s works for a dictionary, also etymologies from lingual and historical literature, materials from different literary works for Georgian Explanatory Dictionary (GED).
Arn. Chikobava’s “Chan-Megrelian-Georgian Comparative Dictionary” was published in 1938. The followings were prepared for publication:
1. Vocabulary of the Kartvelian languages, II.Tedo Sakhokia’s “Figurative Dictionary’’ ( in 1950-55 in three books, in 1979 – in one book ).
In 1941 260 000 cards of words were prepared for the GED.
The Lexicology Department was headed by:
1936-39 Varlam Topuria.
1939-41 Lexicology and scientific terminology department – Varlam Topuria.
1942-43 the same department –Vukol Beridze.
1943-45 Karpez Dondua.
1945-46 Arnold Chikobava.
1946-49 Solomon Iordanishvili.
1949-65 Stefane Menteshashvili.
1965-88 Mikheil Chabashvili.
1988-99 1\ IV Avtandil Arabuli.
1899 – 1\IV- 2002 1|VIII Alexi Chincharauli.
2002 1\VIII Avtandil Arabuli.
In different times the following collaborators worked at the department:
I. Asatiani, L.Asatiani, M.Ashadze, T. Berozashvili, L. Beriashvili, L. Biniashvili, R.Gagua, M. Galdavadze, A. Kalandaze, M. Kandelaki, M. Kelenjeridze, M. Meskhishvili, L. Nozadze, B. Sabashvili, L. Sokhadze, B. Tsereteli, Al.Chincharauli, N. Chokhonelidze, V. Kherkheulidze, M. Khomasuridze, L. Kadagidze, N. Chincharauli, A. Chabashvili, N. Taktakishvili, M. Mirzashvili, M. Chachanidze, M.Aslanikashvili, N. Maisuradze.
In 1945 commision of GED was founded at the prezidium of the Georgian Academy of Sciences. The commission had to direct the compiling of eight-volume explanatory dictionary: the chair-man of the commission – Arnold Chikobava, members: Giorgi Akhvlediani, Vukol Beridze, Simon Vachnadze, Varlam Topuria, Tamar Lomouri, Giorgi Tsereteli , Simon Janashia, a scientific secretary Bidzina Pochkhua (1945), Stefane Menteshashvili (1946-1951), Mikheil Chabashvili (1951-1958).
The commission instructed the word-cards, worked out by the lexicology department of the Institute of Language, History and Material Culture in 1936-1941.
The working staff of the GED was the collaborators of the lexicological department of the Institute of Language (since 1950- Institute of Linguistics). The staff took part in explanation of words.
Volume I (A-B) of the GED was published in 1950 (editor Arn. Chikobava), volume II (G) – in 1951 (editor G. Tsereteli), volume III (D-E) in 1953 (editor V. Topuria), volume IV ( V-L) – in 1955 (editors – Arn. Chikobava, M. Chabashvili), volume V (M-N) – in 1958 (editors S. Vachnadze, O.Kakhadze), volume VI (O-U) – in 1960 (editors B.Pochkhua, M.Chabashvili), volume VII (P-Sh) – in 1962 (editors K.Lomtatidze, S.Menteshashvili, P.Gachechiladze), volume VIII (Ch-H) – in 1964 (editors Iv.Gigineishvili, B.Pohkhua).
Specialists of different branches consulted in explaining special terms. In parallel with it filling of material with new documentation, comparison of illustrative material with sources, controling of grammatical qualifications and other lots of technical work were carried out by the collaborators of the department and the institute, as well.
The GED contains 112 949 words.
In 1971 editor-in-chief and editors of volumes were awarded the state premium of the Georgian SSR.
Illustrative (documentary) funds were preserved at the department: about 3 million cards of GED (addition to this fund is being continued) and about 1,5 million cards of Old Georgian.
Besides the GED the department published:
1945 – Main principles of compiling the GED ( Arn. Chikobava).
1948 – Experimental section of the GED (on A- T).
1949 – S.S. Orbeliani’s “Georgian Dictionary” (according to authographic manuscript) addited by S. Iordanisvili.
1960 – Al.Chincharauli’s “Khevsurian peculiarities “.
1964 – Dictionary of foreign words. (addited by M. Chabashvili (2nd edition – in 1973, 3rd adition – in 1989).
1969 – Vazha Pshavela’s short dictionary. ( Al. Chincharauli).
1973 – Sympony of “ Knight in the panter’s skin” – index of stems and word-forms. (aditors M.Chabashvili, Al.Chincharauli).
1974 – I. Asatiani’s “Chan Texts. I. Khop sub- dialect.”
1976 – P. Gachechiladze’s “Vocabulary material of the Imerian dialect”.
1977- Al. Chincharauli’s ‘Akaki Shanidze as a mountanian researcher”.
1977- Al. Chincharauli’s “Towards the determination of the text of Vazha-Pshavela’s works”.
1982 – Kartlian dialectal dictionary. ( materials). (compiled by T. Berozashvili, M. Meskhisvili and L. Nozadze).
In 1986 and for the second time (in two parts) in 1990 one volume of the GED was published on the basis of eight volumes ( editor-in-chief Arn. Chikobava).
1988 -T. Berozasvili ‘s “Lingual means of determinating of a text and its author”.
Since 1987 annual collection of papers “Etymological indexes’’ has being published (editorial staff).2001 – Problem of verbal and nominal root formation in the Kartvelian languages (A.Arabuli).
2004 – Georgian speech culture (A.arabuli)
2005 – Khevsurian dictionary (compiled by Al. Chincharauli, editor A.Arabuli).
2006 – Kartlian dictionary (M. Meskhishvili)
2007-2008 – School explanatory dictionary (T. Berozashvili)
2008 – Georgian explanatory dictionary (new edition, editor in chief – A.Arabuli)
Collaborators of the lexicology department took part in compiling inversive dictionary, inversive index of Il. Abuladze’ s “Old Georgian Dictionary”. They published articles in different collections, made reports at the scientific sessions, conferences; consulted to specialists of other branches, to different institutions on the problems connected with lexicology-lexicography.
Historical-etymological dictionary laboratory was founded in 1990, March on the basis of the lexicology department. The laboratory was staffed with some collaborators of the lexicology department of the Institute of Linguistics and invited specialists: E.Osidze, Sh.Gabeskiria, N.Makharadze, N.Kiladze, E.Giunashvili, I.Kerkadze, M.Areshidze, N.Bagaturia, K.Petriashvili, L.Karosanidze. Merab Chuhkua headed the laboratory.
In different time the following scientific workers worked at the laboratory: Ts.Baramidze, M.Erkomaishvili, M.Kobiashvili, R.Ramishvili, M.Robakidze, Z.Kavtaradze, D.Glonti, E.Shengelia, N.Khakhiashvili.
Elaborating of the linguistic literature was carried out for preparing the Georgian historical-etymological dictionary: writing out of stems and roots according to special rules elaborated previously.
In 2002 the laboratory was united to the lexicological department.
At present the department works according to three directions:
1. New edition of the eight-volume GED.
2. Historical-etymological dictionary.
3. Dictionary of the Georgian synonyms.
In 2006 Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor Avtandil Arabuli was voted as a head of the department.
In 2006, October the following scientific workers were voted:
Chief scientific workers:
Lia Karosanidze
Medea Glonti
Lali Biniashvili
Senior scientific workers:
Nineli Chokhonelidze
Manana Kelenjeridze
Lamara Nozadze
Manana Chachanidze
Rusudan Ramishvili
Scientific workers:
Poniava Natia
Nata Razmadze
Eter Shengelia
Maia Ashadze
Natia Maisuradze
Zezva Kavtaradze
Lida Sokhadze
Mariza Khomasuridze
Nino Khakhiashvili
Maia Kobiashvili
Miranda Robakidze
Asmat Papidze
Maia Areshidze
Ketevan Petrishvili
