The Project Gutenberg EBook of The evolution of English lexicography
by James Augustus Henry Murray

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Title: The evolution of English lexicography

Author: James Augustus Henry Murray

Release Date: March 24, 2004 [EBook #11694]

Language: English

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THE ROMANES LECTURE
1900

The Evolution of English Lexicography

BY JAMES A.H. MURRAY
M.A., LL.D., D.C.L., PH.D.

DELIVERED IN THE SHELDONIAN THEATRE, OXFORD, JUNE 22, 1900

THE EVOLUTION OF ENGLISH LEXICOGRAPHY

When the 'Act to facilitate the provision of Allotments for the
Labouring Classes' was before the House of Commons in 1887, a
well-known member for a northern constituency asked the Minister who
had charge of the measure for a definition of the term _allotment_,
which occurred so often in the Bill. The Minister somewhat brusquely
told his interrogator to 'look in the Dictionary,' at which there was,
according to the newspapers, 'a laugh.' The member warmly protested
that, being called upon to consider a measure dealing with things
therein called 'Allotments', a term not known to English Law, nor
explained in the Bill itself, he had a right to ask for a definition.
But the only answer he received was 'Johnson's Dictionary! Johnson's
Dictionary!' at which, according to the newspapers, the House gave
'another laugh,' and the interrogator subsided. The real humour of the
situation, which was unfortunately lost upon the House of Commons,
was, that as agricultural allotments had not been thought of in the
days of Dr. Johnson, no explanation of the term in this use is to be
found in Johnson's Dictionary; as, however, this happened to be
unknown, alike to the questioner and to the House, the former missed a
chance of 'scoring' brilliantly, and the House the chance of a third
laugh, this time at the expense of the Minister. But the replies of
the latter are typical of the notions of a large number of persons,
who habitually speak of 'the Dictionary,' just as they do of 'the
Bible,' or 'the Prayer-book,' or 'the