Posted on 10/18/2014 9:51:40 PM PDT by Swordmaker
October 16 is World Dictionary Day, marking the birthday of the great American lexicographer Noah Webster. Born in Connecticut in 1758, Webster published his first dictionary, A Compendious Dictionary of the English Language, in 1806, but it was his two-volume American Dictionary of the English Language published in 1828 (when he was 70 years old) that earned him his place in history as the foremost lexicographer of American English.
The statistics alone speak for themselves: Webster's American Dictionary took him 28 years to complete. In preparation he learned 26 languages, including Old English, Ancient Greek, Latin, and Sanskrit. The final draft listed and defined 70,000 words, more than any other dictionary in history (and 30,000 more than Samuel Johnson's dictionary had almost a century earlier). 1 in every 6 of Webster's words had never been listed in a dictionary before; as a dictionary of American English, he radically chose to include a whole new vocabulary of emerging Americanisms like squash, skunk, hickory, chowder and applesauce for the very first time. And he famously took the opportunity to push through his ideas on English spelling reform - some of which took (center, color, honor, ax), and some of which didn't (dawter, wimmen, cloke, tung).
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Swordmaker
My favorite Antique 1828 Websterian word is “obambulation" (“to walk about"), but strikes me as being a good description of what p-Resident Obama does on important issues needing action, such as the “hugger-mugger" (“doing something in absolute secrecy") spying by the NSA on the American people and our Allies, the “wrangle some” (quarrelsome and contentious") hearings on Fast and Furious, IRS, his lies to the American People about ObamaCare, and his efforts to “stramash" (“to destroy") the U.S. Constitution through his Executive Orders, and other scandals.
Obama takes an “obamulation" — perhaps pondering them on a golf course — and never comes to a decision about what to do about the issues. Then President “Fopdoodle" (“an insignificant fellow"), who often “maffles" (“to stammer or stumble on one's words"), comes before the news cameras, acting as a TelePrompTer's “gastriloquist's" (“an old-fashioned word for a ventriloquist") Dummy, and issues a statement filled with “babblement" (“senseless prattle" or "unmeaning words") to say something “noncupatory" (“something that exists in name only") that is “ b>ear-erecting” (“a sound that sets up the ears") to his lap dog main-stream media, who will repeat this “rake shame's" (“a vile, dissolute wretch") words to cause some “illaquaeation" (“the act of ensnaring; a catching or entrapping") the low information voter into thinking that the “scroyle**", Obama's, “tardigradous" (“slow-paced; moving or stepping slowly") lack of action is the epitome of wisdom.
When those of us, who “scranch" (“grind one's teeth") at his words, realize that as disaster inevitably strikes, these fawning worshippers will be “after-wise" (“wise too late -- or in other words, the perfect term for describing that feeling of knowing exactly what you should have said (or done) after the opportunity to say it (or do it) has passed you by") too late. At this point, I'm not sure our dollar will be worth much more than a “quadrin" (“an old American coin worth about a quarter cent"), and my investments not much more, if this “runnion**," Obama, and his “yoke-mates" (“associates or companions") in crime, the Democrats, keep up the borrowing and spending. If the economy collapses because of the profligate the “pander**", Obama, practices, we may have to buy our “kissing-crust" (“loaves baked close enough together in a pan the crusts touch as they expand") bread with “squabbish" (“thick, fat, heavy") bundles of hundred dollar bills tied up with “packthread" (“cord or twine used to tie parcels"), and we may all have to “uptrain" (“be educated") in how to practice “xerophagy" (“the eating of dried meats and food") to just survive with the “scantle" (“to divide into small pieces") left-overs the ruling class Liberals will give us after they take it from us with “sheep-bite" (“practice petty-thefts") socialism.
In the “longinquity" (“an extended distance or period of time") of time, as this “cullion**," Obama, “daggle-tails" (“to befoul or dirty. Literally drag one's garments through the mud") America's reputation and our military might, he will succeeding in making himself into a “Jackpudding" (“a joker who acts the fool who makes people laugh") for “rampallion**", Obama's, own History's sake in the “cycopede (“the circle of human knowledge”). For our sake, I hope we survive him. I, for one will joyfully play the “Zuffalo" (“a little flute"), feeling as if I were “vernate" (“to become young again"), when this “crack-rope**", Obama, is finally removed from office.
** (“vile, dissolute wretch")
I lost respect for lexicographers when they started putting hip-hop jargon and ghetto slang into the list of recognized english words.
If they are being used, then they need to be there. The OED recognizes them after they've been used a while. I have a friend who has submitted six words to the OED and had them accepted for inclusion. They gave him a free copy for his contributions. . . back when it was published in multiple volumes.
I go to Urban Dictionary from time to time. New words come into usage quicker than I can pick them up.
I strongly recommend latex gloves before using them . . .
I lost respect for them when they began listing homosexual as anything other than a fecal mental disorder
I've enjoyed the Wordplay Masters Invitational over the years, with submissions like:
Rectitude, n. The formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists and
Circumvent, n. An opening in the front of jockey shorts worn by Jewish men or
reintarnation - coming back again as a hillbilly and
One of mine is “akimbo”. Don’t know why. Just liked saying it.
Obamulation is what is passed after a strong cup of am coffee and a good magazine.
Look online for the “1811 dictionary of the vulgar tongue” It’s available online and is a pretty exhaustive list of offensive or swear words and phrases from the begnning of the 19th century. I have a feeling you’ll like it.
CC
Innuendo: what an Italian doctor does with a rectal thermometer.
CC
Fantastic post!
I love threads like this.
Well, I’m totally maffled. I’ve been using gastriloquist all wrong. I feel like such a jackpudding
The classic is Ambrose Bierce’s “Devil’s Dictionary.” Bierce had an almost Swiftian sense of parody and there’s little he does not skewer.
OMG, he got a free copy of the OED? That would complete rock. Personally though, I’d like a copy of the OED from the turn of the last century better, but it would still be nice. Of course, I’d also like a 1913 copy of Encyclopaedia Brittannica as well.
I don't think you got one for just a single accepted submission but he had multiple accepted submissions. . . He got the version that is in four volumes with the magnifying glass to be able to read it.
Well, if I remember right, the next best thing : There are several sets of older The Encyclopedia Britannica (different years) on line. I found them a few years ago.
Also, a treasure trove of history and what was considered essential universal knowledge from the 18th Century. I was smart enough about 20-30 years ago to purchase a complete facsimile edition of the original set of the Encyclopedia Britannica. Three volumes, the first issued in 1771.
Leather-making runs over a dozen pages...."America," a brief three-sentence paragraph.
The science and math entries are very impressive.
I have been meaning to transcribe and post on Free Republic, the multi-page entry on candid, detailed exposition of a non-PC entry --- knowledge of the period on Mohometans- What we now know as islam. About 17 entire pages.
By way of contrast, the Magna Carta, three or four brief sentences.
I really hope that set of facsimiles sold well enough to make it possible for a set to become available for others to enjoy from time to time.
The whole thing should be available online!
I actually have that. Probably ought to read through it. At one time I had the 1903 edition, but it disappeared after a move. I was missing several volumes. I remember being really impressed with the entry for refridgeration. The detail was amazing.
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