Курс лекций по лексикологии английского языка для студентов факультетов иностранных языков
The History of American Lexicography
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| The History of American Lexicography
Curiously enough, the first American dictionary of the English language was compiled by a man whose name was also Samuel Johnson. Samuel Johnson Jr., a Connecticut schoolmaster, published in 1798 a small book entitled "A School Dictionary". This book was followed in 1800 by another dictionary by the same author, which showed already some signs of Americanisation. It was Noah Webster, universally considered to be the father of American lexicography, who emphatically broke away from English tradition and embodied in his book the specifically American usage of his time. His great work, The American Dictionary of the English Language, appeared in two volumes in 1828 and later sustained numerous revised and enlarged editions. In many respect N. Webster follows the lead of Dr S. Johnson (the British lexicographer). But he has also improved and corrected many of S. Johnson's etymologies and his definitions are often more exact. N. Webster attempted to simplify the spelling and pronunciation that were current in the USA of the period. He devoted many years to the collection of words and the preparation of more accurate definitions. N. Webster realised the importance of language for the development of a nation, and devoted his energy to giving the American English the status of an independent language, distinct from British English. At that time the idea was progressive as it helped the unification of separate states into one federation. In the latest edition of Webster's International Dictionary of the English Language not Americanisms (words not used in America) but so called Britishisms were marked off. N.Webster's dictionary enjoyed great popularity from its first editions. This popularity was due not only to the accuracy and clarity of definitions but also to the richness of additional information of encyclopaedic character, which had become a tradition in American lexicography. Soon after N. Webster's death two publishers and booksellers of Massachusetts, George and Charles Merriam, acquired the rights of his dictionary from his family and started the publication of revised single volume editions under the name Merriam-Webster (1864, 1890, 1909, 1934, 1961). The staff working for the modern editions is a big institution numbering hundreds of specialists in different branches of human activity. The other great American dictionaries are the Century Dictionary first completed in 1891; Funk and Wagnalls New Standard Dictionary first completed in 1895, the Random House Dictionary of the English Language, completed in 1967; The Heritage Illustrated Dictionary of the English Language first published in 1969, and C.L. Barnhart's The World Book Dictionary presenting a synchronic review of the language in the 20th century. жүктеу/скачать 0,7 Mb. Достарыңызбен бөлісу:
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