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From: Ross Clark <benlizro@ihug.co.nz>
Newsgroups: sci.lang
Subject: Re: National Dictionary Day (16 October)
Date: Thu, 17 Oct 2024 11:37:04 +1300
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On 17/10/2024 3:00 a.m., Athel Cornish-Bowden wrote:
> On 2024-10-16 09:30:04 +0000, Ross Clark said:
> 
>> "National" here is American. And the day is the birthday of Noah 
>> Webster (16/10/1758-28/5/1843). Author of the "National Dictionary".
>> Actually called The American Dictionary of the English Language.
>> Published 1828. 25 years in the making, 2,000 pages, 70,000 entries.
>> Price $20.00.
>>
>> "A great number of words in our language require to be defined in a 
>> phraseology accommodated to the condition and institutions of the 
>> people in these states, and the people of England must look to an 
>> American Dictionary for a correct understanding of such terms."
>> (from the Preface)
>>
>> This almost reads like a claim that the American senses are the 
>> correct ones. But I think he is taking the much more reasonable 
>> position that where UK and US usage diverge, if UK speakers want to 
>> know about the US usage, it makes sense for them to consult an 
>> American dictionary.
>>
>> Webster's first big success was a Spelling Book (1783), which sold and 
>> sold for decades, and made him a household (or schoolroom) name. He 
>> had some good ideas about improved spelling, several of which have 
>> become standard for USEng.
> 
> Others of which have not: "Noah Webster's assertion in his 1828 
> dictionary—'Our common orthography is incorrect; the true spelling is 
> tung'" hasn't stood the test of time.
>>
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah_Webster
>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webster%27s_Dictionary
> 

Too bad. Webster was right.