Why does dictionary compilation often exhibit differing senses for the same word across different corpora?

💡 Explanation

Corpora-based lexicography shows polysemy, where words acquire multiple related senses based on context; thus, differing corpora lead to varied documented senses. This occurs because lexicographers adopt a descriptive approach rather than impose a prescriptive standard; therefore, corpus usage variations drive sense distinctions rather than etymological origins.

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