The Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, 2 Vols ... by Herbert Coleridge

In June 1857, they formed an 'Unregistered Words Committee' to search for unlisted and undefined words lacking in current dictionaries.

6 Oxford English Dictionary and First SupplementĪt first, the dictionary was unconnected to Oxford University but was the idea of a small group of intellectuals in London it originally was a Philological Society project conceived in London by Richard Chenevix Trench, Herbert Coleridge, and Frederick Furnivall, who were dissatisfied with the current English dictionaries.On the other hand, its gravity feels defiant and not only owning the thing but actually using it feels like a rebellion (maybe even a proper middle finger) against the distraction culture that I simultaneously overindulge in and yet detest. I get it, it does not make sense to print these sorts of things any longer. Sometimes, when I lug around my own copy of this big old thing, I think of it as a tombstone, signifying the death of printed encyclopedias and language usage books and dictionaries. There is really nothing like spending an hour on a snowy Sunday morning with a mug full of steaming coffee in one hand and a magnifying glass in the other, hunched over one of these volumes and just luxuriating in how surprisingly exhaustive the entry for the word 'break' is, or realizing that that one time that I accidentally referred to something as being potentially 'includible' and then immediately felt like a dope for making up a word was unnecessary as there IS an entry for 'includible/includable', or, my gosh, the thrilling experience of learning the etymological roots of the word 'ampersand'.

By reducing the size of each page from the 1933 edition, this 1971 edition contains four original pages on each page (hence the magnifying glass). This two volume, compact edition contains the original 13 volumes of the OED from 1933. The Oxford English Dictionary has been the standard as THE historical dictionary of the English language as it not only gives you a thoroughly thorough definition but also the historical development and etymological roots and usage and variations of each word. From its charming drawer that contains the very necessary magnifying glass to its micro font to its hernia-inducing weight, this treasure trove of words has come to feel like an old friend. One of those loved possessions is my 1971 Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary. The few things that I do own, I treasure with an irrational devotion. Because of this, my belongings are pretty sparse. See, I have a real phobia of the suffocating feeling of owning too many things. But I felt compelled to write a review (spoiler-free). I felt ridiculous marking this as 'read' because of course I haven't read it.

The Compact Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary, 2 Vols ... by Herbert Coleridge