The Lexicon istoric retic (LIR) is the first specialized encyclopedia for Raeto-Romance-speaking Switzerland. Raeto-Romance is the fourth national language of Switzerland and is mainly spoken in the Swiss canton of the Grisons (Graubünden). The internet version of the LIR – the e-LIR – is a comprehensive information medium available free of charge to all interested.

Objective

The objective of the LIR is to depict the development of the Raeto-Romance and Grisons area, i.e. the canton in which three languages are spoken on a daily basis as well as some immediately bordering regions, as comprehensively as possible in all facets of history and culture.

Contents

The LIR contains biographies and articles about places, families and many special subjects. It therefore corresponds to the concept of the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland (Historisches Lexikon der Schweiz). However, it is not merely a translation of the Historical Dictionary of Switzerland, but rather an independent work. Many of the articles on special subjects, particularly those dealing with the history of the Grisons and Raeto-Romance culture, were written especially for the LIR and are to be found only there. The focal point confers a relevance to the LIR which extends beyond Raeto-Romance-speaking Switzerland.

Publication

Some 55 articles about places have been published annually since 1999 as advance publications in the Annalas da la Societad Retorumantscha. The LIR has been available on the internet since June 2004. Half of all the articles will be accessible to the public via e-LIR by the end of 2005, the remainder by the end of 2008. The publication of the LIR as a book is planned for 2009.

Language

The LIR and the e-LIR appear exclusively in Rumantsch Grischun, the common written language in Raeto-Romance-speaking Switzerland. The Lia Rumantscha, the umbrella organization of the Raeto-Romance language and cultural societies, is responsible for the linguistic correctness. Access to the German and Italian Lemma lists will be possible by the end of 2005.

Technical information

The e-LIR is a technical novelty in the worldwide field of encyclopedic works. The articles are compiled and editorially supervised directly on the internet. The technical solutions which enable such a process were developed in Raeto-Romance-speaking Switzerland by IC Surselva in Ilanz.

Editorial staff

The current LIR staff consists of Dr. Adolf Collenberg, the editor in chief; Dr. Manfred Gross, linguistic editor; and two translators, Dumenic Andry, lic. phil., and Ursulina Monn.