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If
you’re working with the English language, as a writer, an editor, or a teacher,
dictionaries are of course basic tools of the trade. It’s essential, therefore,
to define them in terms of advantages and uses. This is part 1 of a series.
Noah Webster
History
classes might not spend a lot of time on Noah Webster, but Webster’s
contributions to the country in the earliest days were substantial.
Born
in 1758, Webster grew up alongside a nation also just coming into its own.
After studying at Yale University, he went on to become known as a
lexicographer, textbook pioneer, spelling reformer, author, and editor, not to
mention lawyer, political writer, member of the Connecticut House of
Representatives, and founder of the Connecticut Society for the Abolition of
Slavery.
Most
important, his textbook and educational work helped create an intellectual
foundation for the fledgling United States.
Two
hundred years later Webster is synonymous with dictionary. The
distinction no doubt would have pleased Noah, except for the part where we now
have confusion over the very name, since multiple publishers use the Webster
brand.
The
original Webster-branded dictionary was published by Noah Webster in 1828
(check out this online version).
The only dictionaries today that derived from the originals are published by
Merriam-Webster Inc.
G. and C. Merriam
After
Webster’s death, G. & C. Merriam Co. (founded by the brothers George and
Charles Merriam) bought rights to Webster’s Dictionary, in 1843. They went on
to publish Webster's International Dictionary, 1890, and then a vastly
expanded Webster's New International Dictionary in 1909, which
featured 400,000 entries. That volume was revised in 1934 as Webster's New
International Dictionary, Second Edition—sometimes referred to as
Webster's Second.
In
1961, G. & C. Merriam published Webster's
Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged, often called Webster's
Third or W3. It is also referred to as the "unabridged" Webster's
(and occasionally "Thanksgiving turkey-size” book). Though the new edition
was widely criticized for being descriptive, rather than prescriptive,
it was a masterwork of scholarship that became a staple still used in American
publishing and education today. It is considered the most comprehensive
dictionary of American English. (Of course, new words have been added since
1961.)
Merriam-Webster
G.
& C. Merriam lost rights to the Webster's brand after several lawsuits
moved it into the public domain. The company rebranded itself in 1983 as
Merriam-Webster Inc.
In
1898, Merriam introduced Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, a smaller,
desktop version (see this free online
version). The newest edition in that line is the eleventh. This is the main
spelling authority on the desks of many book and magazine editors.
Today
a favorite reference is the free Merriam-Webster.com
dictionary. Originally based on the eleventh edition, this unique dictionary
has been expanded with new entries and revised definitions. It is also packed
with additional content such as Word of the Day features, quizzes, and reports
on what words are trending (being looked up the most) at a given time.
Of
course, there’s an app for this. Merriam-Webster also makes useful dictionary
apps for smartphones and mobile devices, iOS and Android. (Style tip: For a
publication or a company, decide which is your first authority,
Merriam-Webster.com or the print edition.)
Other
publishers have produced popular dictionaries bearing the Webster's name. Those
works include Webster's
New World Dictionary, by Wiley Publishing, and Random
House Webster's Dictionary, from Random House.
See
more on Webster’s New World Dictionary along with AP style in Better
Know Your Dictionaries, Part II.
Better Know Your Dictionaries (Coming soon.)
- Part 1: How Webster Became a Household Name
- Part 2: Religion, Politics, and Style
- Part 3: Idiom Dictionaries for Pain-in-the-Neck Vocabulary
- Part 4: Sizing Up Phrasal Verb Dictionaries
- Part 5: Slang Dictionaries for Taboo Vocabulary
(C) 2019, by John Sailors. All rights reserved.
