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The Oxford English Dictionary: A Brief History

Ronald H. Fritze (Associate professor of history at Lamar University, Beaumont, Texas.)

Reference Services Review

ISSN: 0090-7324

Article publication date: 1 March 1989

148

Abstract

The Oxford English Dictionary (hereafter referred to as the OED) is one of the most well‐known and respected reference works in the world. Its imposing bulk has even led some people to believe incorrectly that it actually lists every word in the English language. Of course, a good number of words were omitted from the distinguished dictionary because they were considered vulgar or because they were American words, categories that were actually somewhat synonymous to certain less tolerant Englishmen of the late nineteenth century.

Citation

Fritze, R.H. (1989), "The Oxford English Dictionary: A Brief History", Reference Services Review, Vol. 17 No. 3, pp. 61-70. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb049065

Publisher

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MCB UP Ltd

Copyright © 1989, MCB UP Limited

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