DictionariesJohn P. Broderick, Ph.D.

University Professor of English and Applied Linguistics

Old Dominion University

Norfolk, VA 23529

Topics of Discussion The Role of Dictionaries in

English Speaking Cultures

Types of Information Contained in Dictionary Entries

Three English Dictionaries: Their Special Features and Uses

Dictionaries in English-Speaking Cultures Prescriptive Tradition (Samuel

Johnson - 1755) Descriptive Tradition (Oxford

English Dictionary – 1884 … ) Merriam Webster II (2nd Ed., 1934)

Perceived to be Prescriptive Merriam Webster III (1961)

Perceived to be Too Descriptive (even “Permissive”)

Types of Information Contained in Dictionary Entries (cf. TAW Ch. 9) Spelling, Pronunciation,

and Grammar Etymology (Word History) Definition(s) Synonyms Usage

Three English Dictionaries: Their Special Features and Uses(Cf. sample entries in TAW Ch. 9)

(Merriam) Webster’s Third New International Dictionary

The American Heritage Dictionary

The Oxford English Dictionary

Webster’s Third New International Dictionary Largest Total Number of Words

(600,000+) Does a word “exist”? (Especially

Technical Terms) Spelling Authority (American and

British) Pronunciation Authority (American

and British) Extensive and Detailed Synonym

Passages (= a Thesaurus)

The American Heritage Dictionary Same Information as Webster’s III (Though

Less Detailed) Plus . . . Definitions in Frequency Order Special Etymology Structure (See example in

TAW Ch. 9.) No Abbreviations (Readable) Photographs Informed and Practical Usage Information First to Include Vulgar Words and Meanings

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) [A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles]

Purposes: Record every word that could be

found in English from about the year 1000.

Exhibit the history of each word: all pronunciations, spellings, uses, and meanings – past and present.

Include at least one quotation per century for each meaning of each word.

OED Sample Quotation Slip

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) [A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles]

Some History . . .

1857: Furnivall: Idea; Trench Paper to Philological Society: “On Some Deficiencies in our English Dictionaries”

1859: 1st Editor, Coleridge, appointed. 1861: 1st Editor, Coleridge, dies. 1862: 2nd Editor, Furnivall (Too Busy…)

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) [A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles]

Some History . . . 1879: 3rd Editor James

Murray (Recruits 8,000 Readers)

1884: First Half of Letter A Published

1915: Murray dies (3 more editors …)

The Final 3 Editors of OED1:

Editor of the 4-Volume Supplement:

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) [A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles]

Some History . . . 1929: Last Half of Letter W Published

(= 12 Vols.) 1933: 1 Vol. (A-Z) Supplement (Total =

13 Vols.) 1972 to 1986: 4 Vols. (A-Z)

Supplement 1989: 2nd Edition 20 Vols. (A-Z) 1990s: Electronic Versions

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) [A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles]

Some Anecdotes . . .

James Murray’s Education James Murray’s “Presence” James Murray’s Family James Murray at Work James Murray and Women Scholars James Murray and Dr. Minor

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) [A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles]

Its special uses . . . Birth, death, and

development of words Meanings in chronological

order Meanings of words in

literature at time of writing Assorted other things . . .

Part of the Second Paragraph of Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner

The Second Entry for Abrupt in the First Edition of the OED

abrupt (brpt) , v. f. prec. , or on analogy of vbs. so formed. Cf. cor-rupt , dis-rupt . To break off, sever; to interrupt suddenly.

1643 Sir T. Browne Relig. Med. (1656) i. §13 Buzzing thy praises which shal never die, Till death abrupts them. 1646 Sir T. Browne Pseud. Ep. 323 The effects of whose activity are not precipitously abrupted, but gradually proceed to their cessations. 1682 Sir T. Browne Chr. Morals (1756) 100 The insecurity of their enjoyments abrupteth our tranquillities. 1819 Blackw. Mag. V. 737/2 This gas obtains in greatest abundance in the vicinity of dykes which abrupt the coal. 1949 M. Innes Journeying Boy xi. 130 But to abrupt his journey in a strange town..was a procedure..unnecessarily drastic. 1958 Observer 29 June 15/6 The film version of `The Brothers Karamazov'..does not deliberately distort the novel or abrupt it.

Corresponding Entry from On-line OED2