Description
A Sociolinguistic History of British English Lexicography traces the evolution of British English dictionaries from their earliest roots to the end of the 20th century by adopting both sociolinguistic and lexicographical perspectives. It attempts to break out of the limits of the dictionary-ontology paradigm and set British English dictionary-making and research against a broader background of socio-cultural observations, thus relating the development of English lexicography to changes in English, accomplishments in English linguistics, social and cultural progress, and advances in science and technology.
It unfolds a vivid, coherent and complete picture of how English dictionary-making develops from its archetype to the prescriptive, the historical, the descriptive and finally to the cognitive model, how it interrelates to the course of the development of a nation's culture and the historical growth of its lexicographical culture, as well as how English lexicography spreads from British English to other major regional varieties through inheritance, innovation and self-perfection.
This volume will be of interest to students and academics of English lexicography, English linguistics and world English lexicography.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter One The Latin roots in English dictionaries and the inception of English lexicographical culture
Chapter Two The early development of English bilingual lexicography and its deviation from Latin traditions
Chapter Three The bourgeoning of English monolingual dictionary paradigm and the extension of bilingual dictionary traditions in the 17th century
Chapter Four The termination of hard-word traditions in English lexicography and its pursuit of prescriptivism
Chapter Five The European philological traditions and the creation of the diachronic dictionary paradigm in the 19th century
Chapter Six The transformation of lexicographical traditions and the prosperity of British English lexicography
Chapter Seven English lexicography–accomplishments, developments and prospects
Major References
Major referenced websites
Index of Lexicographers
