000 02254cam a22003133u 4500
001 5430
003 UtSlPG
005 20260610133138.0
006 m
007 cr n
008 260607r2004||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d
040 _aUtSlPG
041 7 _aen
_2iso639-1
050 4 _aPE
100 1 _aJohnson, Samuel,
_d1709-1784
245 1 0 _aPreface to a Dictionary of the English Language
264 1 _aSalt Lake City, UT :
_bProject Gutenberg,
_c2004
300 _a1 online resource :
_bmultiple file formats
336 _atext
_btxt
_2rdacontent
337 _acomputer
_bc
_2rdamedia
338 _aonline resource
_bcr
_2rdacarrier
500 _aRelease date is 2004-04-01
508 _aSteve Harris, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team
520 _a"Preface to a Dictionary of the English Language" by Samuel Johnson is a foundational piece in the lexicographical field, written during the 18th century. This work serves as an introduction to Johnson's ambitious project of creating a comprehensive dictionary, devoted to the exploration and organization of the English language. The preface outlines the challenges and philosophical considerations of defining a language that is both rich and changing over time. In this preface, Johnson reflects on the lexicographer's plight, detailing the arduous task of cataloging words in a language as vibrant and chaotic as English. He discusses the historical roots and evolving nature of words, the complexities of orthography and pronunciation, and the interplay between various linguistic influences, notably Latin and Teutonic languages. Throughout, he emphasizes the necessity of maintaining stability in language while recognizing that change is inherent to living tongues. Johnson articulates his vision for the dictionary as a cumulative effort that balances reverence for tradition with the realities of linguistic evolution, ultimately aiming to create a resource that would meet the communicative needs of English speakers and scholars. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
534 _nOriginal publication data not identified
653 _aEnglish language -- Dictionaries
653 _aLexicology
856 4 0 _uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5430
999 _c47461
_d47461