"Dictionary of the English Language"

Paper Summary:

The paper describes how Samuel Johnson created the most influential dictionary in the history of the English language. The paper illustrates how Johnson beat all odds, including financial constraints, illness and the death of his wife, to create this important piece of literature. The paper shows how, not only does the dictionary offer a glimpse into 18th century British life, it is also an autobiography of sorts of Johnson himself.

From the Paper:

"Samuel Johnson created, singlehandedly, the most influential dictionary in the history of the English language. The Dictionary of the English Language was published in 1775, and took nine years to complete. Although the Dictionary would now be considered obsolete, it was the most reliable dictionary until the appearance of Noah Webster's American dictionary at the end of the nineteenth century. The Dictionary is unique in many aspects, but most notably in that it was the first to feature illustrative quotations--and there are thousands of them (Millward 240). What is perhaps more intriguing than the dictionary itself is the story behind its creation and its creator."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Boswell, James. The Life of Samuel Johnson. 1791. Chicago: The University of Chicago, 1991.
• DeMaria, Robert, Jr. Johnson's Dictionary and the Language of Learning. Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 1986.
• Hutchings, Henry. Defining the World: The Extraordinary Story of Johnson'sDictionary. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2005.
• Lynch, Frank. The Samuel Johnson Sound Bite Page. 22 September 2006 > http://www.samueljohnson.com/>.
• Millward, C. M. A Biography of the English Language. 2nd ed. Boston: Wadsworth,1996.

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