A History of the Chambers Dictionary

Description

In the literature on English lexicography there have been few attempts at a systematic study of the history of popular dictionaries that have been around for many years in English-speaking countries. A dictionary like Chambers deserves special attention because of its long tradition that goes back to the nineteenth century. Although it has gone through numerous editions, its history has received little attention from scholars. The book traces the development of the Chambers Dictionary from its origins to the present time by comparing corresponding parts of successive editions of the dictionary. This comparative approach aims to determine major trends in the evolution of the dictionary. It will provide scholars and interested students with insights into the Chambers lexicographers’ work, the goals they aimed to achieve, and the problems they had to face when revising the dictionary. Introduction The object of the study The structure of the book 1 Methodological and theoretical foundations of the analysis 1.1 Numbering of editions 1.2 Sampling method 1.3 The arrangement of entries 1.4 The selection of morphological forms 1.5 The selection and growth of vocabulary 1.6 Defining meaning 1.7 The order and discrimination of senses 1.8 Etymology 1.9 Usage labels 1.10 Syntagmatic and paradigmatic information 1.11 Pronunciation 1.12 Outside matter 2 The founders of W. & R. Chambers publishing house 3 The origin of the dictionary 3.1 The sociohistorical background 3.2 The intellectual background: an overview of possible sources of the Etymological Dictionary of the English Language (Ch-A) 4 Biographical notes on the editors 4.1 James Donald 4.2 Thomas Davidson 4.3 William Geddie 4.4 Agnes Macdonald 4.5 Betty Kirkpatrick 4.6 Catherine Schwarz 4.7 Ian Brookes 5 Educational beginnings: Chambers’s Etymological Dictionary of the English Language (Ch-A, 1867) 5.1 Meaning and etymology in Ch-A 5.1.1 Primary meanings 5.1.2 Secondary meanings 5.1.3 Etymological groups 5.1.4 Etymology 5.2 Other descriptive and pedagogical considerations in Ch-A 5.2.1 The selection of vocabulary 5.2.2 The selection of morphological forms 5.2.3 Defining meaning 5.2.4 Usage labels 5.2.5 Syntagmatic and paradigmatic information 5.2.6 Pronunciation 5.2.6.1 Notation system 5.2.6.2 Suprasegmental features 5.2.6.3 Choice of variety 5.2.7 Outside matter 6 Towards the optimal arrangement of entries 6.1 Ch-B 6.2 Ch-C 6.3 Ch-1—Ch-3 6.4 Ch-4—Ch-12 7 The selection of morphological forms 7.1 Ch-B 7.2 Ch-C 7.3 Ch-1 7.4 Ch-2 7.5 Ch-3 7.6 Ch-4 7.7 Ch-5—Ch-7 7.8 Ch-8—Ch-12 8 The growth of vocabulary 8.1 Ch-B 8.2 Ch-C 8.3 Ch-1 8.4 Ch-2 8.5 Ch-3 8.6 Ch-4 8.7 Ch-5 8.8 Ch-6 8.9 Ch-7 8.10 Ch-8 8.11 Ch-9 8.12 Ch-9new 8.13 Ch-10 8.14 Ch-11—Ch-12 9 Defining meaning 9.1 Definitions: general characteristics 9.2 Encyclopaedic definitions 9.3 Idiosyncratic definitions 10 The order and discrimination of senses 10.1 Ch-B 10.2 Ch-C—Ch-1 10.3 Ch-2—Ch-3 10.4 Ch-4—Ch-7 10.5 Ch-8—Ch-9 10.6 Ch-9new—Ch-12 11 Etymology 11.1 Ch-B 11.2 Ch-C 11.3 Ch-1 11.4 Ch-2— Ch-3 11.5 Ch-4— Ch-5 11.6 Ch-6—Ch-7 11.7 Ch-8 11.8 Ch-9—Ch-12 12 Usage labels 12.1 Ch-B 12.2 Ch-C—Ch-1 12.3 Ch-2—Ch-3 12.4 Ch-4—Ch-5 12.5 Ch-6—Ch-7 12.6 Ch-8 12.7 Ch-9 12.8 Ch-9new—Ch-12 13 Syntagmatic and paradigmatic information 13.1 Ch-B—Ch-1 13.2 Ch-2 13.3 Ch-3—Ch-12 14 Pronunciation 14.1 Ch-B 14.2 Ch-C 14.3 Ch-1 14.4 Ch-2—Ch-3 14.5 Ch-4—Ch-5 14.6 Ch-6—Ch-12 15 Outside matter 15.1 Ch-B 15.2 Ch-C 15.3 Ch-1 15.4 Ch-2—Ch-3 15.5 Ch-4—Ch-5 15.6 Ch-6 15.7 Ch-7 15.8 Ch-8—Ch-9 15.9 Ch-9new—Ch-12 Conclusions Appendices Selected pages from the early editions of Chambers Sample 1 Sample 2 References 1. Dictionaries 1.1. Editions of the Chambers Dictionary, in chronological order 1.2. Other dictionaries and encyclopedias mentioned in the text 2. Internet sources 3. Other literature Index