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Early English Dictionaries Overview

The document discusses the history and development of English language dictionaries from the earliest works in the 17th century to modern comprehensive dictionaries. It describes Robert Cawdrey's 1604 Table Alphabeticall as the first English dictionary, followed by Samuel Johnson's 1755 A Dictionary of the English Language, which had over 40,000 entries and helped standardize English spelling and usage. Merriam-Webster's American Dictionary became one of the most widely used dictionaries in the US. The Oxford English Dictionary is now regarded as the definitive record of the English language, encompassing 500,000 words from across the English-speaking world in both print and online formats.

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Raquel Garcia
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58 views2 pages

Early English Dictionaries Overview

The document discusses the history and development of English language dictionaries from the earliest works in the 17th century to modern comprehensive dictionaries. It describes Robert Cawdrey's 1604 Table Alphabeticall as the first English dictionary, followed by Samuel Johnson's 1755 A Dictionary of the English Language, which had over 40,000 entries and helped standardize English spelling and usage. Merriam-Webster's American Dictionary became one of the most widely used dictionaries in the US. The Oxford English Dictionary is now regarded as the definitive record of the English language, encompassing 500,000 words from across the English-speaking world in both print and online formats.

Uploaded by

Raquel Garcia
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

7.1.

The first dictionaries of English

7.1.1. Mulcaster’s Elementarie

Mulcaster’s most enduring work, Elementarie, was published in 1582. For the most part, it is
a guide to good practice in teaching, particularly in the teaching of English. It is an early
attempt to make English language and culture more respected and accessible.

At a time when Latin still held all of the prestige in education, but Mulcaster argued for the
importance of educating students in their native language, which was English. This reflected
a growing sense of national identity and the desire to have English recognized as a legitimate
language for scholarly and educational purposes.

Mulcaster's work contributed to the standardization of English spelling and grammar

7.1.2. Robert Cawdrey’s A Table Alphabeticall

Robert Cawdrey's Table Alphabeticall, published in 1604, was the first monolingual English
dictionary ever published.

It is one of the earliest attempts to compile a dictionary of the English language. While it was
a relatively small and rudimentary work compared to modern dictionaries, it marked the
beginning of the tradition of English lexicography.

The dictionary was relatively small in size, containing around 2,543 entries. It played a role
in facilitating literacy and language comprehension during a period when English was
evolving with the expansion of the British Empire and standardization became necessary.

7.1.3. Dr. Johnson’s Dictionary

Samuel Johnson (poet, biographer, lexicographer and essayist) has been described as
‘arguably the most distinguished man of letters in English history’. A Dictionary of the
English Language, published in 1755, was the first comprehensive and systematic attempt to
compile a dictionary of the English language.

It contained over 40,000 entries, along with definitions, examples of usage, and etymologies.
His work helped establish a common understanding of the English language during a period
when spelling and usage were varied and inconsistent.

1
It was first published as a two-volume folio edition. However, a smaller and less expensive
edition in octavo format (a smaller book size) was published in 1756. This edition was
divided into four volumes and included revisions and corrections. It made Johnson's
dictionary more accessible to a broader audience due to its reduced size and lower cost.
Each volume was separately numbered, providing readers with the option to purchase
specific volumes.

7.1.4. Merriam-Webster's American Dictionary

Merriam-Webster's American Dictionary, often simply referred to as Merriam-Webster, is one


of the most widely used and recognized dictionaries in the United States. Merriam-Webster's
dictionaries have played a role in shaping and standardizing American English. They are
widely available and accessible, both in print and online.

7.1.5. Oxford English Dictionary

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is widely regarded as the accepted authority on the
English language. It is an unsurpassed guide to the meaning, history, and usage of 500,000
words and phrases past and present, from across the English-speaking world.

It encompasses a vast range of words, including obsolete and archaic terms, technical
vocabulary, and words from diverse fields. The online version of the OED has made this vast
linguistic resource more accessible to a broader audience.

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