The Story of Webster's Third

Philip Gove's Controversial Dictionary and its Critics

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Hardcover | 19 December 1994

At a Glance

Hardcover
358 Pages

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22.86 x 15.24 x 2.39

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The publication of Webster's Third New International Dictionary in 1961 set off a storm of controversy in both the popular press and in scholarly journals that was virtually unprecedented in its scope and intensity. This is the first full account of the controversy, set within the larger background of how the dictionary was planned and put together by its editor-in-chief, Philip Babcock Gove. Based on original research and interviews with the people who knew and worked with Gove, this is a human story as well as the story of the making of a dictionary. The author skilfully interweaves an account of Gove's character and working habits with the evolution of the dictionary. The reception given Webster's Third - now widely regarded as one of the greatest dictionaries of our time - illuminates public misconceptions about language and the role of dictionaries.

Industry Reviews

"...informed, rational and utterly persuasive...Now comes Herbert C. Morton with his splendid account of the book's making and its reception, a book that along with its spirited defense of Gove should make clear to the lay reader the aims and methods of lexicography, a business until now understood by almost no one." Washington Post Book World "Herbert C. Morton's account of the affair is a chronicle of war to compare with the best...Although Morton is plainly in Gove's camp, even the most knuckle-rapping of purists should find his fine book profoundly rewarding." The Boston Sunday Globe "...a well balanced and interestingly informative. As a book about a dictionary ought to be, it is decently written." Anthony Quinton, TLS "...anyone who has an interest in the documentation of such things would be well served to obtain a copy...well-written and interestingly set forth." Laurence Urdang, Verbatim "Only rarely has the process of lexicography been given such insightful and understanding treatment by a non-lexicographer as we find in Morton's book." Sharp News

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Non-Fiction Dictionaries Literature, Poetry & Plays History & Criticism of Literature Language & Linguistics Linguistics Lexicography

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Paperback

Published: 6th November 1995

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The best of times and the worst: a prologue
Philip Gove and The Genesis of Webster's Third
Gove's formative years: the road to Springfield
The Webster and Merriam tradition
The new editor takes hold
The Making of the Dictionary: Gove's Intentions
The meaning of words: definers at work
The origins of words: the etymologist's task
The sound of words and other matters
Usage and final tasks
The War of Words
Early Returns: the fuse is lit
The controversy heats up
1962: calamity or calumny?
Commercial intrusions: trademarks, takeover threats, competition
Ideology and politics in the running debate
The judgment of peers
Sorting It All Out
Gove and Webster's Third: the legacy
Concluding words
Table of Contents provided by Publisher. All Rights Reserved.

The Story of Webster's Third

Philip Gove's Controversial Dictionary and its Critics

At a Glance

Hardcover

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

Other Editions and Formats

Paperback

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