JOURNAL ARTICLE

Drudges Of Some Description.

  • Published In: National Review, 2023, v. 75, n. 12. P. 46 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: GARNER, BRYAN A. 3 of 3

Abstract

Consider Thomas Cooper, a lexicographer who worked long before computers or even photocopiers existed. When Samuel Johnson defined lexicographer secondarily as a harmless drudge, I believe he meant to be denotatively accurate with drudge but self-deprecatingly facetious with harmless. BOOKS, ARTS & MANNERS BRYAN A. GARNER SAMUEL JOHNSON - creator not of the first English dictionary, but of the first great one - wickedly mocked his own trade when he defined lexicographer as "a writer of dictionaries; a harmless drudge, that busies himself in tracing the original, and detailing the signification of words.". [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:National Review. 2023/06, Vol. 75, Issue 12, p46
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:History
  • Publication Date:2023
  • ISSN:0028-0038
  • Accession Number:164163300
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