Dictionaries and Meanings

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Author:

British Library

Subject:

Arts, Humanities

Institution Name:

British Library

Collection:

British Library

Grade Level:

Secondary, Post-secondary

Abstract:

This site traces the history of English dictionaries from the 1500s to the present day. You can examine how words change their meaning over time, and how scholars have argued over ideas of 'correct' spellings. We have included extracts from a whole range of dictionaries: from 16th century spelling lists and the first English dictionary ever written; from lexicons of criminal slang and Georgian swear words; from Dr Johnson's famous dictionary of 1755; from dictionaries of Caribbean English and Yiddish; and from the world-famous Oxford English Dictionary.

Languages:

English

Material Type:

Activities and Labs, Other

Media Format:

Graphics/Photos, Other, Text/HTML

Conditions of Use:

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The content of this website can be accessed, printed and downloaded in an unaltered form (altered including being stretched, compressed, coloured or altered in any way so as to distort content from its original proportions or format) with copyright acknowledged, on a temporary basis for personal study that is not for a direct or indirect commercial use and any non-commercial use.

Copyright Holder:

The British Library Board