Unlocking the Past: A Journey Through the History of English Language Dictionaries

By John

Mar 13, 2025

In History of Language

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Have you ever wondered where dictionaries come from? How did we decide what words mean, and who gets to make those decisions? The history of English language dictionaries is a fascinating journey through centuries of scholarship, linguistic evolution, and sometimes, just plain human opinion. This article delves into that history, exploring the key figures, the groundbreaking works, and the ongoing debates that have shaped the world of lexicography. Get ready to explore the evolution of language and the books that attempt to contain it!

The Dawn of Lexicography: Early Word Lists and Glossaries

The story of English dictionaries doesn't begin with grand, comprehensive tomes. Instead, it starts with humble beginnings: word lists and glossaries. In the early Middle Ages, as Latin was the language of scholarship and the Church, there was a growing need to understand Latin texts. Monks and scholars compiled lists of difficult Latin words alongside their Old English equivalents. These early glossaries, often found in the margins of manuscripts, were crucial tools for understanding and translating classical works. Think of them as the first sparks of what would eventually become the modern dictionary.

These early attempts at defining words were rudimentary, often providing only a synonym or a brief explanation. They lacked the depth and nuance of later dictionaries, but they represent the initial efforts to capture and organize language. These early lexicographers laid the foundation for the more sophisticated approaches that would emerge in subsequent centuries. The Epinal Glossary, for example, is one of the oldest surviving examples of such a glossary, offering valuable insights into the vocabulary of Old English and the linguistic challenges faced by early scholars. These glossaries served a very practical purpose, helping people decipher religious texts and important documents. While simple, they provided vital access to the knowledge that lay behind the Latin language, and in effect, kickstarted the field of lexicography in England.

The Transition to English: From Cawdrey to Bullokar

As English gradually gained prominence as a language of literature and commerce, the need for English-English dictionaries became more apparent. One of the earliest pioneers in this field was Robert Cawdrey, whose A Table Alphabeticall (1604) is often considered the first monolingual English dictionary. Cawdrey's dictionary was a relatively modest affair, containing only about 2,500 words, mostly loanwords from Latin, Greek, and French, that he deemed