American lexicographer, editor, and author Noah Webster died #OTD in 1843.
His early contributions to education include a series of textbooks known collectively as the "Blue-Backed Speller." His first dictionary, A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language, was published in 1806. However, his most significant achievement came with the publication of An American Dictionary of the English Language in 1828.
"Language is the expression of ideas, and if the people of one country cannot preserve an identity of ideas they cannot retain an identity of language."
A Dictionary of the English Language: Intended to Exhibit... : in Two Volumes (ed. 1832)
~Noah Webster Jr. (October 16, 1758 – May 28, 1843)
Canadian word nerds, rejoice. Two decades after the last Canada-specific dictionary was published, a new one is on its way. Editors Canada has taken on the project, with John Chew, head of the North American Scrabble Players Association, as editor-in-chief. Quill and Quire reports that the letter Q, a small portion of which is online now, could be released this summer. While lexicographers usually start with M, Chew plumped for Q because it includes Indigenous and Inuktitut words and many medical and scientific words. Here's more.
English schoolmaster, lexicographer and commentator on the usage of the English language H. W. Fowler was born #OTD in 1858.
He is notable for both A Dictionary of Modern English Usage and his work on the Concise Oxford Dictionary. In partnership with his brother Francis, beginning in 1906, he began publishing seminal grammar, style and lexicography books. via @wikipedia
Do you use the word “tump”? As in: the ‘coons were chasing the ‘possum around the side yard and tumped over the garbage cans. Mildred didn’t care because it was Leroy’s job to get them to the curb. #lexicography#words#English
For instance, is "smol" its own entry in a dictionary or not? As far as I know, you basically pronounce it the same as "small". There may be a different tone, but that's usually not enough to be a separate word.
But the difference clearly carries extra meaning. Is that enough to call it a separate word?
Help revise The F-Word: @jessesheidlower is looking for suggestions, quotations, antedatings, and anecdotes for the fourth edition of his dictionary of "fuck"
How old is "verse" (in the sense "universe; one of many universes in a multiverse")? @jessesheidlower's Historical Dictionary of Science Fiction dates it to 2002, in Firefly, but it may be older: https://sfdictionary.com/view/2753/verse