Diocese of Kontum publishes article on Catholic legacy of Vietnamese dictionary

The Diocese of Kontum published an article detailing the four-century history of the Vietnamese dictionary as a cultural heritage created by generations of Catholic missionaries.

The text describes how the development of the national language dictionary grew from the missionary mission to inculturate the Gospel. It credits Francisco de Pina with establishing Vietnamese research methods, while Gaspar do Amaral and António Barbosa contributed to the development of vocabulary systems. The article identifies Alexandre de Rhodes as the figure who synthesized and published this scientific tradition through the Viet–Bồ–La dictionary.

The publication also traces the evolution of the language through Bishop Pierre Pigneau de Béhaine, who worked to refine Vietnamese lexicography. Other figures mentioned include Philipphê Bỉnh, who connected traditions in the north and south, and Jean-Louis Taberd, who furthered the study of the dictionary.