The English language, a vibrant tapestry woven from countless threads of history, owes much of its standardization and understanding to the often-underappreciated world of dictionaries. These monumental works, far from being static repositories of words, are dynamic reflections of societal change, evolving knowledge, and the ever-shifting landscape of human communication. This article delves into the fascinating history of English language dictionaries, tracing their development from humble beginnings to the comprehensive resources we rely on today. We will explore key milestones, influential figures, and the profound impact these books have had on shaping the way we speak and write.
The Early Days: From Glossaries to Incipient Dictionaries (Early Lexicography)
The seeds of the modern English dictionary were sown long before Samuel Johnson put pen to paper. In the early Middle Ages, glossaries emerged as tools for understanding difficult or foreign words found in religious texts and classical literature. These were not dictionaries in the modern sense but rather lists of words with brief explanations, often in Latin, the language of scholarship. Over time, these glossaries expanded and began to include more vernacular terms, reflecting a growing interest in the English language itself. One notable example is the Promptorium parvulorum sive clericorum, dating back to around 1440, which offered English words with Latin equivalents. These early efforts, though rudimentary, laid the groundwork for the more ambitious lexicographical projects that would follow. The importance of these initial works is that they started a process of documenting and standardizing the English vocabulary, moving it from a largely oral tradition to a written and codified one.
The Dawn of English Dictionaries: Robert Cawdrey's Table Alphabeticall
The year 1604 marks a significant turning point in the history of English language dictionaries with the publication of A Table Alphabeticall conteyning and teaching the true writing, and understanding of hard vsuall English wordes, borrowed from the Hebrew, Greeke, Latine, or French. Compiled by Robert Cawdrey, a schoolmaster, this unassuming volume is widely considered the first monolingual English dictionary. Cawdrey's aim was practical: to help those unfamiliar with learned words to understand them. The dictionary contained around 2,500 entries, primarily focusing on loanwords from other languages. While limited in scope and somewhat inconsistent in its definitions, A Table Alphabeticall was a pioneering effort that demonstrated the need for a comprehensive guide to the English vocabulary. It also represented a shift in attitudes towards the English language, signaling a growing sense of national pride and a desire to elevate its status alongside classical languages.
The 17th Century: Expansion and Refinement (Development of Lexicography)
The decades following Cawdrey's work saw a proliferation of English dictionaries, each building upon its predecessors and attempting to offer a more complete and accurate representation of the language. John Bullokar's An English Expositor (1616) expanded the number of entries and provided more detailed definitions. Henry Cockeram's The English Dictionarie: or, An Interpreter of Hard English Words (1623) included a section dedicated to
