Lost for Words

Name: Lost for Words
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SKU: 9780300106992
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The Hidden History of the Oxford English Dictionary

By Lynda Mugglestone

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Summary

Lost for Words delves into the creation of the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, published in 1928. It explores the dedicated lexicographers—mostly men, some women—who meticulously gathered words and usages over centuries of English literature to capture the language's evolving spirit. The book reveals the intensive debates over definitions, pronunciation, and acceptable usage, showing how the dictionary reflects the linguistic and social biases of its time.
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Format: Hardback

$71⁹⁹

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Lost for Words

$71⁹⁹

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book will appeal to readers interested in language, lexicography, English literature, and the social history behind the construction of one of the most revered dictionaries in the English-speaking world.

The untold story of the complex word battles fought by the creators of the first Oxford English Dictionary.

Description

The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) holds a cherished position in English literary culture. Indisputably the greatest dictionary in the language, the story of its creation has become a popular fascination.

This book looks at the history of the great first edition of 1928, at the men (and occasionally women) who distilled words and usages from centuries of English writing to capture the spirit of a civilization. The task of the dictionary was to bear full and impartial witness to the language it recorded. Yet, behind the immaculate typography of the finished text, the proofs tell a very different story.

This vast archive, unexamined until now, reveals the arguments and controversies over meanings, definitions and pronunciation, and over which words and senses were acceptable and which were not. Lost for Words uncovers the fascinating process by which this great dictionary came into being, tracing—through letters and archives—the personal battles involved in charting a constantly changing language.

Seeking to determine correct usage, lexicographers reveal themselves vulnerable to the prejudices of their own linguistic preferences and to the influence of contemporary social history.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Nicolas Barker praises the work as a 'real tour-de-force,' highlighting the dictionary as a magnificent Victorian creative endeavour that makes its words narrate their own history.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780300106992

Publisher: Yale University Press

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 10 May 2005

Country: United States

Imprint: Yale University Press

Illustration: 8 b-w illus.

Audience: Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Width: 156.0mm

Height: 235.0mm

Weight: 703g

Pages: 304

Collections

Education & Reference History & Archaeology History & Military Lynda Mugglestone Non-Fiction

About the Author

Lynda Mugglestone is fellow in English at Pembroke College, Oxford. She is the author of Talking Proper: The Rise of Accent of Social Symbol (2nd edn, 2003), and broadcasts regularly on radio and television.