A Dictionary of the English Language
A landmark dictionary of the English language.
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A Dictionary of the English Language, often called Johnson's Dictionary, was published on 15 April 1755. Compiled single-handedly by Samuel Johnson over seven years, it is considered one of the most influential dictionaries in English history. Johnson was contracted in June 1746 by a group of London booksellers, who paid him 1,500 guineas. Although he initially believed he could finish in three years, the work took seven.
He had only clerical help to copy the illustrative quotations he had marked in books. Until the Oxford English Dictionary was completed 173 years later, Johnson's was the pre-eminent English dictionary. The scholar Walter Jackson Bate ranked it as one of the greatest single achievements of scholarship, likely the greatest ever performed by one individual under such disadvantages.
The mid-eighteenth century saw a surge in literacy and printing, creating demand for an authoritative guide to English grammar, definition, and spelling. Johnson's was not the first English dictionary; over twenty had appeared in the previous 150 years. Earlier works, however, were often poorly organised glossaries of "hard words" that failed to show the language in use.
Johnson's dictionary was the first to comprehensively document the English lexicon as it appeared in practice. He prepared the work at his home in London between 1746 and 1755, writing a Plan in 1747 that outlined his methodology. Though Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, offered patronage, Johnson was displeased with his eventual essays recommending the work.
The dictionary was printed as a large, expensive folio on the finest paper, costing nearly £1,600. Its title page featured the words "Samuel Johnson" and "English Language" in red. Johnson produced several revised editions during his lifetime.
Lore & Background
Johnson took about nine years from contract to publication to complete the work, though he had claimed he could finish it in three. He did so single-handedly, with only clerical assistance to copy illustrative quotations he had marked in books. Johnson produced several revised editions during his life.
The Plan received the patronage of Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield, but Johnson later felt Chesterfield had not made good on his promise of support. The title page had 'Samuel Johnson' and 'English Language' printed in red. Johnson introduced humour or prejudice into some definitions, such as 'Excise: a hateful tax' and 'Lexicographer: a harmless drudge.'
The Wasp and the Theft of an Idea
The satirical dictionary column that became iconic did not originate in Bierce's hands.
Reader's Guide
Earlier dictionaries were little more than poorly organized glossaries of obscure or technical words, failing to capture how the language was actually used. Johnson’s dictionary was the first to comprehensively document the English lexicon, drawing on literary quotations to illustrate meanings and including notes on usage. It was published in 1755, after seven years of work by Johnson alone, with only clerical help to copy quotations he had marked in books.
The volume was large and expensive, printed as a folio on the finest paper, costing nearly as much to produce as Johnson was paid. The title page featured the author’s name and the book’s subject in red ink. Until the Oxford English Dictionary appeared 173 years later, Johnson’s work was considered the preeminent English dictionary.
One scholar ranked it among the greatest single scholarly achievements, especially given the disadvantages under which it was completed. The dictionary arose from a growing literate public and a boom in printed materials, which created demand for standardized grammar, spelling, and definitions. A consortium of London booksellers contracted Johnson for 1,500 guineas, though he had claimed he could finish in three years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote A Dictionary of the English Language?
Samuel Johnson, the English writer and scholar, compiled this landmark reference work. It was published in 1755 and went on to serve as the standard English dictionary for well over a century.
How long did it take Johnson to complete A Dictionary of the English Language?
The compilation spanned roughly seven years before its 1755 release. The sheer breadth of English vocabulary he had to define, quote, and annotate made it one of the most ambitious single-author reference projects of the eighteenth century.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: A Dictionary of the English Language (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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