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+# `custom-dictionary/`
+
+This folder contains files for APLS's custom dictionary.
+
+APLS uses dictionaries to match individual words in a transcript to their phonemic representations.
+Its 'default' dictionary is the [Unisyn](https://www.cstr.ed.ac.uk/projects/unisyn/) lexicon for American English, which covers most of the words in any given transcript.
+The custom dictionary supplements Unisyn, with words in a few categories:
+
+- Names from Pittsburgh/western PA physical geography, human geography, and/or culture (e.g., neighborhoods like _Shadyside_, municipalities like _Sewickley_, streets like _Baum_, schools like _Milliones_, notable local figures like _Stargell_)
+- Brand/business names, whether local (e.g., _Pelusi_) or not (e.g., _Highmark_, _Panera_)
+- Pittsburgh lexical features, whether stereotypical (e.g., _redd_, _gumband_) or not (e.g., _Trib_, _WAMO_)
+- Non-Pittsburgh-specific words that are absent from Unisyn, sometimes unexpectedly (_artsy_, _bachelorette_, _homie_, _Kwanzaa_, _microbrew_, _stepdad_, _tarp_, _y'all_)
+- Restricted mini-lexicons specified in the APLS transcription convention: [colloquial spellings](https://djvill.github.io/APLS/doc/Transcription-Convention.html#colloq-spellings) (e.g., _gonna_), [interjections](https://djvill.github.io/APLS/doc/Transcription-Convention.html#other-interjections) (e.g., _yup_), and [single-phoneme hesitation codes](https://djvill.github.io/APLS/doc/Transcription-Convention.html#single-cons-unfinished) (e.g., _f~_ for [f])
+
+
+## Contents of this folder
+
+
+[The txt gets used for ELAN file checker]
+
+
+## How to add dictionary entries
+
+
+### Deciding on entries and phonemic transcription
+
+First, decide whether you even _need_ to add a new entry.
+Words made up on the spot shouldn't be added, nor should words that aren't likely to be used by more than one speaker.
+For these "novel words", transcribers should instead specify the phonemic transcription inline, as described in the [transcription convention](https://djvill.github.io/APLS/doc/Transcription-Convention.html#novel-words).
+I am _much_ more wary of adding entries to the restricted mini-lexicons specified in the APLS transcription convention;
+having transcribers decide, for example, between _don't know_ and _dunno_ only adds to the complexity of the task of transcription.
+Aside from these restricted mini-lexicons, feel free to err on the side of adding a word to the dictionary.
+
+[Give lemme example]
+
+### Building the custom dictionary
+
+You'll need the following software:
+
+-