Dictionary compilers 'plagiarised'

An ugly legal battle has erupted between Media 24 Books and Oxford University Press over plagiarism accusations.

Media 24 Books has accused the international publishing giant's Southern African subsidiary of lifting a substantial amount of material from its English-Afrikaans dictionary, Aanleerdeswoordboek, and including it in the Oxford Skoolwoordeboek.

Media 24 Books asked the Cape Town High Court to interdict Oxford University Press against reproducing, publishing and selling further copies of the dictionary.

The Aanleerdeswoordboek was published in 1993; the Oxford Skoolwoordeboekin 2007.

The alleged plagiarism was spotted by Media 24 Books in 2012 and legal action speedily ensued.

In court papers, Media 24 Books' counsel, Alasdair Sholto-Douglas SC, said "the objective similarity between the works is evident" in the head words in the dictionaries and in the sequence of translations, among other things.

Sholto-Douglas said Oxford University Press had infringed Media 24 Books' copyright "by reproducing or adapting a substantial portion of the work without . authorisation."

But Willie Duminy SC, for Oxford University Press, dismissed the plagiarism allegation, saying the application was "misconceived".

Duminy said that "Pointing out a phrase, or analogies of example sentences, does not demonstrate copyright infringement in works of the nature of dictionaries."

He asked the court to dismiss the application and rule that Media 24 Books be made liable for the costs.

Judge Patrick Gamble postponed the hearing to October 29 to give Oxford University Press time to respond to issues raised by Media 24 Books.